Spatial and Spatiotemporal Patterns FormedAfter Self-Organization in Plasma
Abstract
Photographs of complex space charge configurations formed during nonequilibrium phase transitions in a gaseous conductor are presented. These appear when an external constraint induces a local gradient of electron kinetic energy, so that the regions where the excitation and ionization cross-section functions suddenly increase are spatially separated. Their genesis involves all key processes of a self-organized complexity.
- Publication:
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IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science
- Pub Date:
- 2002
- DOI:
- Bibcode:
- 2002ITPS...30...30L
- Keywords:
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- Bistability;
- double layer;
- fireball;
- plasmoid;
- self-organization