Multi-dimensional instability of multi-ion acoustic solitary waves in a degenerate magnetized plasma

Abstract

The multi-dimensional instability of obliquely propagating multi-ion acoustic (MIA) solitary structures was studied theoretically by the small-k (long wavelength plane wave) perturbation expansion technique in an ultra-relativistic degenerate magnetized plasma, which consists of inertia less electrons, inertial ions and stationary arbitrarily charged heavy ions. The Zakharov–Kuznetsov equation is derived by the reductive perturbation method and its solitary wave solution is analyzed. The basic properties of small but finite-amplitude MIA solitary waves have been modified significantly by the combined effects of the degenerate electron number density, heavy ion number density, external magnetic field and obliqueness. The underlying physics of the MIA solitary waves, which are relevant to space plasma situations, and the basic features, such as amplitude, width and growth rate, are briefly discussed.