https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2008-00033-3
Head-on collision of ion-acoustic solitary waves in an unmagnetized electron-positron-ion plasma
College of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, 730070, P.R. China
Corresponding author: a duanws@nwnu.edu.cn
Received:
1
November
2007
Revised:
19
January
2008
Published online:
29
February
2008
The head-on collision between two ion-acoustic solitary waves in an unmagnetized electron-positron-ion plasma has been investigated. By using the extended Poincaré-Lighthill-Kuo perturbation method, we obtain the KdV equation and the analytical phase shift after the head-on collision of two solitary waves in this three-component plasma. The effects of the ratio of electron temperature to positron temperature, and the ratio of the number density of positrons to that of electrons on the phase shift are studied. It is found that these parameters can significantly influence the phase shifts of the solitons. Moreover, the compressive solitary wave can propagate in this system.
PACS: 52.27.-h – Basic studies of specific kinds of plasmas / 52.35.-g – Waves, oscillations, and instabilities in plasmas and intense beams
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2008