On plasma sheaths surrounding complex shapes as measured using ion acoustic waves

Experiments on the transient or ion-matrix sheath from 90 degrees convex and concave corners and randomly perturbed objects have been performed. Equiphase contours of ion acoustic waves launched from metallic structures yield results that are in substantial agreement with a numerical simulation and, for the case of the corners, with recent numerical investigations. Differences can be attributed, in part, to inhomogeneities found in the experimental plasma.