Influence of Ion–Acoustic Solitons on Distribution Functions of Background Plasma

Abstract

Dynamics of an ensemble of ions of background plasma in the presence of ion–acoustic solitons in analyzed within the framework of the MHD model. Ion velocity distribution function perturbed by solitons is found. It is demonstrated that solitons transform the initial equilibrium ion distribution to the form similar to distribution of plasma containing an ion beam. Characteristic features of the perturbed ion distribution function corresponding to solitons of different amplitude are determined. The case of propagation of a cascade of solitons frequently observed in practice is analyzed.