Head-on collision of ion-acoustic solitary waves in a collisionless plasma

TL;DR

This paper investigates how ion-acoustic solitary waves behave during head-on collisions in a collisionless plasma, revealing that large-amplitude waves do not preserve their shape and amplitude after collision.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the post-collision behavior of large-amplitude ion-acoustic solitary waves in collisionless plasma.

Findings

Large-amplitude solitary waves lose their identity after collision.

Amplitudes of potential and densities depend on initial wave amplitude.

Wave forms and amplitudes change post-collision.

Abstract

The head-on collision of ion-acoustic solitary waves in a collisionless plasma with cold ions and Boltzmann electrons is studied. It is shown that solitary waves of sufficiently large amplitudes do not retain their identity after a collision. Their amplitudes decrease and their forms change. Dependences of amplitudes of the potential and densities of ions and electrons after a head-on collision of identical solitary waves on their initial amplitude are presented.