Thermal Relaxation in a One-Species, One-Dimensional Plasma

Abstract

Kinetic theories for a one‐species, one‐dimensional plasma which take into account only two‐particle correlations predict all stable distributions are time independent and there is no relaxation to a Maxwellian. This is investigated by numerical experiments on a one‐dimensional plasma model where the initial distribution was square. The theory is verified in that it is found that the relaxation times goes like n_D² and appears to be caused by three‐particle correlations. In addition to the slow relaxation an initial transient was found which lasted for a time of the order of 1/ω_p and which is accounted for by an elementary theory.