The evolution process of nonlinear cold-electron-plasma oscillations against fixed periodic ion density cavities

Abstract

Using the one-dimensional Vlasov-Poisson simulation method, the nonlinear cold-electron-plasma oscillations against a fixed periodic ion background are studied. It is shown that a gradual loss of the phase coherence in the excited Langmuir wave dynamics occurs in such plasmas leading to wave-breaking at arbitrary low wave amplitudes. Not only the salient features of a steepening of the electric field gradient and large electron density peaks caused by the presence of the ion cavities have been found but also the change of phase-mixing and burst time with the initial ion density perturbation and electron temperature has been studied. The evolution processes of the electron distributions in phase space, especially the electron distribution at the phase-mixing and burst time, have been studied.