W-type ion-acoustic solitary waves in plasma consisting of cold ions and nonthermal electrons

Abstract

Sagdeev potential approach is used for the study of nonlinear propagation of ion-acoustic waves in plasma consisting of cold positive ions and nonthermal electrons. The nonlinear equation so derived are analysed with the help of Bogoliubov–Mitropolosky method. The profiles of Sagdeev potential solitary waves are evaluated in first-, second- and third- order which are depicted for different values of nonthermal parameter of electrons. It is seen that nonthermal electrons has considerable impact on the shape of ion-acoustic solitary waves in each order. The plasma consisting of cold positive ions and no negative ions can support the formation of compressive as well as W-type solitary waves in second- and third- order for certain value of nonthermal parameter of electrons. The results are new because W-type ion-acoustic solitary wave is found by earlier authors in plasma in presence of negative ions only. The ion-acoustic solitary waves near critical value of nonthermal parameter and arbitrary amplitude solitary waves in presence of nonthermal electrons have also been studied in the paper. Moreover, the solution for ion-acoustic double layers in plasma consisting of nonthermal electrons is obtained. Our results in the paper would be useful to understand the nonlinear wave processes in ionospheric and magnetospheric multicomponent plasma having nonthermal electrons.