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arXiv · 1003.1624

Nonlinear ion-acoustic (IA) waves driven in a cylindrically symmetric flow

John Z. G. Ma
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Abstract

By employing a self-similar, two-fluid MHD model in a cylindrical geometry, we study the features of nonlinear ion-acoustic (IA) waves which propagate in the direction of external magnetic field lines in space plasmas. Numerical calculations not only expose the well-known three shapes of nonlinear structures (sinusoidal, sawtooth, and spiky or bipolar) which are observed by numerous satellites and simulated by models in a Cartesian geometry, but also illustrate new results, such as, two reversely propagating nonlinear waves, density dips and humps, diverging and converging electric shocks, etc. A case study on Cluster satellite data is also introduced.

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John Z. G. Ma. 2010-03-19. Nonlinear ion-acoustic (IA) waves driven in a cylindrically symmetric flow. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10509-010-0366-2

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