Dromion solutions for nonlinear electron acoustic waves in space plasmas

Abstract. Recent high resolution measurements of POLAR and FAST satellites have revealed two-dimensional coherent structures in the polar cap boundary layer (PCBL) region. Since the ion temperature is often observed to be greater than the electron temperature in this region, electron acoustic waves can exist as a normal mode of the plasma system. It is shown that the nonlinear evolution of such waves can be modelled by the coupled Davey-Stewartson I equations. These equations, which are a generalization of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation to two dimensions, admit exponentially localized solutions called dromions. A detailed parametric characterization of the regions of existence of such solutions is presented in the context of the PCBL region.