Dispersion and damping of ion acoustic wave in deuterium–tritium fusion plasmas with slowing-down distributed α particles

Abstract

The dispersion and damping rate of the ion acoustic waves (IAWs) in deuterium–tritium (D–T) fusion plasmas with slowing-down distributed α particles are investigated within the framework of kinetic theory. It is shown that the concentration of α particles has an important effect on IAWs. The frequency of IAWs decreases as the α concentration increases. Inversely, the damping rate increases as the α concentration increases. The results for slowing-down distributed α particles are compared with those obtained when α particles are assumed to have an equivalent Maxwellian distribution.