PHASE TRANSITIONS AND CATASTROPHES IN ACOUSTOPLASMA

Abstract

Plasma is a self-consistent medium, and consequently variation of one of the plasma parameters necessarily leads to others changes. So, smooth changing of one parameter may cause abrupt changes in other parameters. We have shown that sudden jumps of plasma parameters can be described by Catastrophe theory. In order to describe sudden jumps and phase transitions in acoustoplasma, we developed methods to apply catastrophe theory. It is shown that volt-ampere characteristic of acoustoplasma discharge in CO2 - laser can be described by means of swallowtail catastrophe, and in an argon-cusp catastrophe.