On the excitation of linear and nonlinear ion-acoustic waves in a double plasma machine

Abstract

A mechanism for the excitation of linear and nonlinear ion-acoustic waves in a double plasma machine is suggested. A compressive ion density perturbation is interpreted in terms of 'klystron bunching' and a refractive ion density perturbation is interpreted in terms of a self-similar expansion. Experimental results support the theoretical model proposed in this paper.