Characteristics of Nonthermal Dupree Diffusion on Space-Charge Wave in a Kappa Distribution Plasma Column with Turbulent Diffusion

Entropy (Basel). 2020 Feb 24;22(2):257. doi: 10.3390/e22020257.

Abstract

The nonthermal diffusion effects on the dispersion equations of ion-acoustic space-charge wave (SCW) in a nonthermal plasma column composed of nonthermal turbulent electrons and cold ions are investigated based on the analysis of normal modes and the separation of variables. It is found that the real portion of the wave frequency of the SCW in a Maxwellian plasma is greater than that in a nonthermal plasma. It is also found that the magnitude of the damping rate of the SCW decreases with an increase of the spectral index of the nonthermal plasma. It is also shown that the magnitude of the scaled damping rate increases with an increase of the Dupree diffusion coefficient. Moreover, the influence of the nonthermal character of the nonthermal plasma on the damping rate is found to be more significant in turbulent plasmas with higher diffusion coefficient. The variations of the wave frequency and the growth rate due to the characteristics of nonthermal diffusion are also discussed.

Keywords: kappa turbulent plasma; nonthermal diffusion; space-charge wave.