Reflection of ion acoustic soliton from the sheath around a negatively biased grid

Abstract

Experimental observations on the partial reflection of ion acoustic solitary waves from sharp density gradients, produced by a negatively biased grid immersed in the plasma, are presented. Reflection occurs where the density gradient scale size is of the same order as the width of the soliton. The reflected wave packet apppears to be highly dispersive and travels with subsonic velocity.