Impulse Response of a Kinetically Described Non-Uniform Plasma Bounded in Sheaths
Abstract
The impulse response of a kinetically defined, non-uniform electron plasma slab bounded by sheaths is obtained. The one-dimensional Vlasov-Poisson system is considered. Electron-free boundaries are specified for all time. Possible equilibrium states are studied; under relatively loose mathematical conditions the electron distribution is separable and the only possible velocity distribution is Gaussian. Admissible initial conditions are investigated. The equilibrium plasma is stimulated by an impulse electric field which imparts upon all electrons an equal additional velocity. A numerical scheme is developed which permits to obtain reliable solutions for certain time periods after which numerical instabilities begin to appear. Throughout this study, considering plasma slabs with an equilibrium temperature around 30000K and a plasma frequency of approximately 1 GHz at the center of the slab, reliable solutions were obtained for the spans ranging from 2 plasma periods for strong stimuli to 20 plasma periods in linear operation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1971
- Accession Number
- AD0735130
Entities
People
- B. R. Cheo
- Rudolf A. Frisch
Organizations
- New York University