The experiments on solitons in plasmas performed during the period 1970 to 1982 are reviewed. Suggestions for future experiments are presented.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0032-1028/25/9/001/pdf

Soliton experiments in plasmas

Plasma surface waves were discovered in 1958. The experiments done since then on these waves are critically reviewed and analysed in terms of appropriate models and corresponding dispersion relations. Discrepancies and unresolved issues are identified and discussed. Wave damping experiments and analysis, and results of more recent works on nonlinear aspects of these waves, are also reported.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0032-1028/24/11/001/pdf

Experimental investigations of the propagation of surface waves along a plasma column

The review is concerned with wave propagation in plasmas where collisions may be neglected. The relevant kinetic theory is described by the Vlasov equation. Waves in the absence of a magnetic field are reviewed including Landau damping of electron waves and ion acoustic waves. The complications due to purely ballistic effects are described and the latter case includes the study of mixtures of ions. Thermal motion has little effect on electromagnetic waves with the exception of the anomalous skin effect. Beam-plasma interactions are reviewed and general concepts of stability are discussed. The conversion of wave energy from one kind of wave and linear coupling mechanisms are described. The importance of resonance cones is also noted.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0034-4885/40/11/002/pdf

Waves and microinstabilities in plasmas-linear effects

Observations of Solitons on Nonlinear Dispersive Transmission Lines

A series of experiments is described on grid excited linear and nonlinear ion acoustic waves. A multiple ion-acoustic shock formation is simulated. The excitation of solitons or a dispersing wave train can be used as a plasma diagnostic. Electrostatically coupled excitation of pseudowaves is observed.

On grid launched linear and nonlinear ion-acoustic waves

Reviews four experimentally measured properties of waves which propagate in a medium having a dispersion relation D(k,ω)=1-ω02/ω2+k02/k2=0 where ω0 and k0 are characteristics of the medium. A transmission line, ion acoustic waves and electron plasma waves are examined and some similarity is found in their properties.

W. D. Jones

Papers

Properties of plasma waves defined by the dispersion relation

Dispersive‐like Properties of Accelerated Ion Bursts in a Plasma