Nonlinear low-frequency collisional quantum Buneman instability

TL;DR

This paper investigates how quantum effects influence the nonlinear low-frequency collisional Buneman instability, revealing that quantum modifications reduce linear growth rates and induce quantum density oscillations in the nonlinear phase.

Contribution

It introduces a quantum correction via the Bohm potential into the classical model and analyzes both linear and nonlinear regimes to uncover quantum effects on the instability.

Findings

Quantum effects reduce the linear instability growth rate.

Quantum density oscillations appear in the nonlinear evolution.

The model extends classical analysis with quantum corrections.

Abstract

The Buneman instability occurring when an electron population is drifting with respect to the ions is analyzed in the quantum linear and nonlinear regimes. The one-dimensional low-frequency and collisional model of Shokri and Niknam [Phys. Plasmas, v. 12, p. 062110 (2005)] is revisited introducing the Bohm potential term in the momentum equation. The linear regime is investigated analytically, and quantum effects result in a reduction of the instability. The nonlinear regime is then assessed both numerically and analytically, and pure quantum density oscillations are found to appear during the late evolution of the instability.