Precursor magneto-sonic solitons in a plasma from a moving charged object

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the existence of precursor magneto-sonic solitons ahead of a moving charged object in a magnetized plasma using particle-in-cell simulations, revealing new insights into plasma wake phenomena.

Contribution

First demonstration of precursor magneto-sonic solitons in a magnetized plasma through particle-in-cell simulations, expanding understanding of plasma wake structures.

Findings

Precursor magneto-sonic solitons exist ahead of moving charged objects.

Conditions for the existence of these solitons are characterized.

Electromagnetic precursors may help interpret space plasma observations.

Abstract

The nature of fore-wake excitations created by a charged object moving in a magnetized plasma is investigated using particle-in-cell simulations. Our studies establish for the first time the existence of precursor magneto-sonic solitons traveling ahead of a moving charged object. The nature of these excitations and the conditions governing their existence are delineated. We also confirm earlier molecular dynamic and fluid simulation results related to electrostatic precursor solitons obtained in the absence of a magnetic field. The electromagnetic precursors could have interesting practical applications such as in the interpretation of observed nonlinear structures during the interaction of the solar wind with the earth and the moon and may also serve as useful tracking signatures of charged space debris traveling in the ionosphere.