Large amplitude ion-acoustic waves. Stochastic effects

The numerical experiments (PIC-method) were made to study the stochastic instability of the ion motion in the course of the evolution of one-dimensional nonlinear ion-acoustic wave. It is shown that the evolution of the nonlinear ion-acoustic wave is accompanied by the development of the stochastic instability of the ion motion and by the formation of the stochastic layer. The initial stage of the stochastic instability is studied. It is shown that the stochastic layer includes all the initial trapping region of the ions in the ion-acoustic wave. 4 refs.; 12 figs.; 4 tabs