Nonexistence of Ion Acoustic Waves and Landau Damping Driven Electrostatically in an IdealQMachine

Abstract

A computer was used to simulate ion acoustic wave generation by a grid. The self-consistent grid sheath and nonlinear effects were included. The experimentally observed wave propagation and Landau damping were reproduced quantitatively. Turning off the self-consistent electric field far from the grid left the "streaming" nature of the distribution function, the structure of the waves, and the magnitude of the damping essentially unchanged.