https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2014-50381-2
Regular Article
Theoretical study on the interaction of electron-acoustic shock waves in a generalized Lorentzian plasma
1 College of Physics and
Electromechanical Engineering, Hexi University, Zhangye
734000, P.R.
China
2 College of Civil Engineering, Hexi
University, Zhangye
734000, P.R.
China
a e-mail: hanjiuning@126.com
Received:
14
May
2014
Received in final form:
4
August
2014
Published online:
6
November
2014
The nonlinear interaction between electron-acoustic shock waves in a dissipative, non-Maxwellian plasma composed of cold fluid electrons, stationary background ions, and inertialess superthermal electrons has been studied. The effects of plasma parameters on the trajectory changes (i.e., phase shifts) of shock waves after their head-on collision is our main concern. The results indicate that the interactions between shocks are different from those of solitons. Also, it is found that the occurrence and variation of trajectory shifts may be due to the combined role played by the dispersion and dissipation of the colliding nonlinear structure.
Key words: Plasma Physics
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag 2014