Oblique Modulation of Ion-Acoustic Waves in a Warm Plasma

Abstract

The stability of oblique modulation of ion-acoustic waves in an unmagnetized warm plasma is studied. A nonlinear Schrödinger equation governing the slow modulation of the wave amplitude is derived. The effect of temperature on the oblique modulational instability of the ion-acoustic wave is investigated. It is found that the ion temperature significantly changes the domain of the modulational instability in the k-θ plane.