Anomalous charge and energy transfer in a nonisothermal plasma and possibility of calculation of current density in hollow cathodes
Phys. Rev. E 112, 025210 – Published 26 August, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/dtq6-43xn
Abstract
Without imposing additional restrictions on the magnitude of induced scattering of waves by ions, the numerical solution of the nonlinear integral equation for the ion-acoustic waves distribution function over the angles of the wave vector is obtained. This solution complements the analytical and numerical solutions obtained earlier in the limits of weak [Zh. Eksp. Teor. Fiz. 82, 1886 (1982); Sov. Phys.-Lebedev Inst. Rep. 10, 55 (1987)] and strong [Sov. J. Plasma Phys. 10, 17 (1984)] influence of induced scattering on the distribution of ion-acoustic waves. It is shown how, as the electric field strength or electron pressure gradient increases, the position of the maximum of the ion-acoustic wave distribution shifts away from the direction of the turbulence symmetry axis. The obtained solution allowed us to quantitatively describe the electron fluxes of charge and energy in a plasma with ion-acoustic turbulence in a wide range of electron drift velocities. The expression for the current density can be used to calculate the magnitude of the current in the plume of the hollow cathode.
