ISSN:
1089-7674
Source:
AIP Digital Archive
Topics:
Physics
Notes:
The problem of the formation of charge separation in a plasma in the presence of a steep density gradient, the self-consistent electric field and the associated E×B velocity, are studied using a two-dimensional (2D) gyro-kinetic Vlasov code for the ions, with electrons following an adiabatic law. The code shows the formation of a one-dimensional (1D) equilibrium charge at the plasma edge. It is also shown that the presence of a small fraction of impurity ions at the plasma edge can have a significant effect in increasing the effective charge separation and the associated electric field. The present results show that only a kinetic code can solve the problem of the equilibrium electric field in the presence of a density gradient, and point to the important role played by the ions' gyro-radius in establishing a charge separation at a plasma edge. © 1999 American Institute of Physics.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.873486
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