How Does an Electron Cloud Affect the Electric Field in a Plasma?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the interaction between an electron cloud and a plasma's electric field within a spherical chamber. When electrons are ejected into the plasma, the initial absence of an electric field results in no immediate effect on the plasma. However, upon penetration, the electric field dynamics change, causing ions to move inward and electrons outward. This leads to a complex interplay of electric fields that may or may not cancel each other, impacting the plasma's stability and behavior.

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  • Basic knowledge of ion and electron behavior in plasmas
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Hello,

Imagine a spherical chamber and a concentric spherical plasma confined within. We eject electrons at a constant rate from the chamber walls into the plasma. As the electron cloud approaches to the plasma, since it does not have electric field inside, nothing happens to the plasma. When the cloud first penetrates the plasma, I have difficulty in deciding what the electric field will look like and how the ions and electrons in the plasma will move.

Only, when I think of the electric field a moment after the penetration, it occurs to me that the ions should move inwards and electrons outwards. But then the electric fields should cancel out each other (or not?) and the plasma should stay there (or return to its original state?)

Please enlighten me.
 
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It is best to do this sort of reasoning via the maths.
Try reworking the description in mathematical form, and figure out what models you want to use.
 

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