An improved approach to the problem of nonlinear electrostatic structures in plasma columns

An improved method of solving for the structure of nonlinear electrostatic structures in plasma columns is presented. The fully nonlinear solution of the Trivelpiece-Gould (GT) mode has been obtained both for the case where the perpendicular mode structure is held constant and for the case where it is a function of the nonlinear amplitude. Unlike conventional approaches, the perpendicular structure of the mode is permitted to vary with amplitude. Temperature effects and radial profile effects are included in this treatment. The results are compared with those obtained if the perpendicular eigenmode is held constant and with the literature