NEW APPROACH TO THE PROBLEM OF THE PROPAGATION OF ELECTROSTATIC PERTURBATIONS IN VLASOV PLASMAS

The present paper represents a revisitation of the classical problem of the propagation of longitudinal electrostatic waves in a plasma. Within the linearized Vlasov equation model, a new technique is proposed that does not utilize both Fourier and Laplace transformations as is customary, but rather leads to a time convolutive integral equation for the plasma density. This approach seems to present two main advantages: first, one can avoid some analytical difficulties found with the usual treatments; second, the integral equation obtained can be solved by means of direct numerical techniques that do not require the use of integral transformations. Some typical results obtained by means of the proposed method are presented and discussed. Finally, the possible use of the present methodology for the study of the spatial distribution induced in a plasma by an external harmonic electric field is shown and some of its interesting physical features are discussed.