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Updated: Nov 12, 2025

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Published on: May 25, 2021
Electrostatic wave breaking limit in a cold electronegative plasma with non-Maxwellian electrons
1Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, 35516, Mansoura, Egypt. elkamashi@gmail.com.
This study explores how energetic electrons affect wave breaking in plasmas with negative ions. Understanding these plasma dynamics is crucial for space environments and particle acceleration experiments.
Area of Science:
- Plasma Physics
- Space Physics
- Astrophysics
Background:
- Electronegative plasmas containing nonthermal electrons are relevant to space environments and laboratory experiments.
- Understanding wave breaking phenomena is crucial for plasma dynamics and particle acceleration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of suprathermal electrons on the wave breaking amplitude limit in a one-dimensional multifluid hydrodynamic model.
- To analyze the role of plasma parameters on wave breaking in electronegative plasmas.
Main Methods:
- A one-dimensional multifluid hydrodynamic model was used.
- A traveling wave approximation was employed to derive a pseudo-energy balance equation.
- Phase space topology analysis of the pseudopotential function was performed to explore parameter effects.
Main Results:
- The study derived a pseudo-energy balance equation for the fluid-dynamical system.
- The impact of ion density ratio, ion mass ratio, and superthermal index on wave breaking amplitude was analyzed.
- Phase space topology revealed how these parameters influence the wave breaking limit.
Conclusions:
- Suprathermal electrons significantly influence the wave breaking amplitude limit in electronegative plasmas.
- The findings are applicable to particle acceleration in space and plasma-based accelerator schemes.
- The model provides insights into complex plasma behaviors involving negative ions and nonthermal electrons.
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