Nonlinear Saturation of the Trapped-Ion Mode

Abstract

A nonlinear model of the collisional trapped-ion mode is presented, in which the energy in long-wavelength instabilities is transferred to short-wavelength modes which are then damped by ion-bounce resonances. Near marginal stability, the saturation of a single unstable Fourier mode is computed. Far from marginal stability, steady-state nonlinear solitary waves containing many Fourier modes are found. Particle transport is estimated in both cases.