Particle simulation of two- and three-species interactions for evaluating the influence of superthermal electrons on a plasma system

A comparison is made between a plasma system with two components (thermal electron and ions) in a magnetic field and a three components system with two species of electrons (thermal and superthermal) and a species of ions, by using the method of computer experiments with a particle simulation electrostatic 1-D code. The three species plasma system is intended to represent the first approximation for the high altitude ionospheric plasma layers, where usually there are thermal electrons, superthermal electrons, coming from the magnetosphere, and ions (H+ or/and He+). The influence of the superthermal electrons on the electrostatic characteristics and on the oscillatory properties of the plasma is deduced with the aim to observe the evolution of such a plasma system that has a complex nonlinear behaviour. (author)