Oblique electrostatic excitations in a magnetized plasma in the presence of excess superthermal electrons

The nonlinear propagation of ion-acoustic waves is considered in a magnetized plasma, composed of kappa distributed electrons and an inertial ion fluid. The fluid-dynamical system of equations governing the dynamics of ion-acoustic waves is reduced to a pseudoenergy-balance equation. The properties of arbitrary amplitude, obliquely propagating ion-acoustic solitary waves are thus investigated via a mechanical-motion analog (Sagdeev potential) approach. The presence of excess superthermal electrons is shown to influence the nature of magnetized ion-acoustic solitons. The influence on the soliton characteristics of relevant physical parameters such as obliqueness (the angle between soliton propagation direction and magnetic field), the electron deviation from a Maxwellian (superthermality) and the soliton speed is investigated. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3322895]