Langmuir oscillations breaking in inhomogeneous plasma

The influence of density inhomogeneity on the Langmuir oscillations breaking in plasma in the plane one-dimensional geometry is investigated analytically and numerically. It is shown that the breaking of the Langmuir oscillations in an inhomogeneous plasma occurs as the result of the formation, rapid growth, and approaching to infinity of the maximum of electron density located outside the plane, with respect to which the electrons oscillate. The dependence of the Langmuir oscillations breaking time on the size of the plasma inhomogeneity is investigated, and it is shown that the sharper the density gradient and the greater strength of the initial electric field, the breaking is faster.& nbsp;Published under an exclusive license by AIP Publishing.

Automated summary

The study examines the impact of density inhomogeneity on Langmuir oscillation breaking in plasma. Results show that sharper density gradients and stronger initial electric fields lead to faster breaking of the oscillations.