F. Spanier

The nonlinear fluid theory developed by Schamel suggests a modified KdV equation to describe the temporal evolution of ion acoustic (IA) solitons in the presence of trapped electrons. The validity of this theory is studied here by verifying solitons main characteristic, i.e., stability against successive mutual collisions. We have employed a kinetic model as a more comprehensive theory than the fluid one, and utilized a fully kinetic simulation approach (both ions and electrons are treated based on the Vlasov equation). In the simulation approach, these solitons are excited self-consistently by employing the nonlinear process of IA solitons formation from an initial density perturbation (IDP). The effect of the size of IDPs on the chain formation is proved by the simulation code as a benchmark test. It is shown that the IA solitons, in presence of trapped electrons, can retain their features (both in spatial and velocity direction) after successive mutual collisions. The collisions here include encounters of IA solitons with the same trapping parameter, while differing in size. Kinetic simulation results reveal a complicated behavior during a collision between IA solitons in contrast to the fluid theory predictions and simulations. In the range of parameters considered here two oppositely propagating solitons rotate around their collective center in the phase space during a collision, independent of their trapping parameters. Furthermore, they exchange some portions of their trapped populations.

The overtaking collisions of ion-acoustic solitons (IASs) in presence of trapping effects of electrons are studied based on a fully kinetic simulation approach. The method is able to provide all the kinetic details of the process alongside the fluid-level quantities self consistently. Solitons are produced naturally by utilizing the chain formation phenomenon, then are arranged in a new simulation box to test different scenarios of overtaking collisions. Three achievements are reported here. Firstly, simulations prove the long-time life span of the ion-acoustic solitons in the presence of trapping effect of electrons (kinetic effects), which serves as the benchmark of the simulation code. Secondly, their stability against overtaking mutual collisions is established by creating collisions between solitons with different number and shapes of trapped electrons, i.e. different trapping parameter. Finally, details of solitons during collisions for both ions and electrons are provided on both fluid and kinetic levels. These results show that on the kinetic level, trapped electron population accompanying each of the solitons are exchanged between the solitons during the collision. Furthermore, the behavior of electron holes accompanying solitons contradicts the theory about the electron holes interaction developed based on kinetic theory. They also show behaviors much different from other electron holes witnessed in processes such as nonlinear Landau damping (Bernstein-Greene-Kruskal -BGK- modes) or beam-plasma interaction (like two-beam instability).

A fully kinetic simulation approach, treating each plasma component based on the Vlasov equation, is adopted to study the disintegration of an initial density perturbation (IDP) into a number of ion-acoustic solitary waves (IASWs) in the presence of the trapping effect of electrons. The non-linear fluid theory developed by Schamel has identified three separate regimes of ion-acoustic solitary waves based on the trapping parameter. Here, the disintegration process and the resulting self-consistent IASWs are studied in a wide range of trapping parameters covering all the three regimes continuously. The dependency of features such as the time of disintegration, the number, speed and size of IASWs on the trapping parameter are focused upon. It is shown that an increase in this parameter slows down the propagation of IASWs while decreases their sizes in the phase space. These features of IASWs tend to saturate for large value of trapping parameters. The disintegration time shows a more complicated behavior than what was predicted by the theoretical approach. Also for the case of trapping parameters bigger than one, propagation of IASWs is observed in contrast with the theoretical predictions. The kinetic simulation results unveil a smooth and well-defined dependency of solitary waves' features on the trapping parameter, showing the possibility of bridging all the three regimes. Finally, it is shown that for beta around zero, the electron phase space structure of the accompanying vortex stays symmetric. The effect of the electron-to-ion temperature ratio on the disintegration and the propagation of IASWs are considered as a benchmarking test of the simulation code (in the nonlinear regime).