On the breaking of a plasma wave in a thermal plasma, 1; The Structure of the density singularity

Bulanov, S. V.; Esirkepov, T. Z.; 神門 正城; Koga, J. K.; Pirozhkov, A. S.; 中村 龍史; Bulanov, S. S.*; Schroeder, C. B.*; Esarey, E.*; Califano, F.*; et al.

Physics of Plasmas, 19(11), p.113102_1 - 113102_14, 2012/11

https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4764052

The structure of the singularity that is formed in a relativistically large amplitude plasma wave close to the wave breaking limit is found by using a simple waterbag electron distribution function. The electron density distribution in the breaking wave has a typical "peakon" form. The maximum value of the electric field in a thermal breaking plasma is obtained and compared to the cold plasma limit. The results of computer simulations for different initial electron distribution functions are in agreement with the theoretical conclusions.