Interaction of test particles with a plasma

The effect of a test particle, moving through a two-dimensional Maxwellian plasma, has been studied both analytically and by computer simulation. For a stationary test particle, Debye shielding occurs. When the velocity of the test particle approaches the electron thermal velocity, there is a concentration of electrons several Debye lengths downstream, an effect which is essentially a heavily damped plasma oscillation. The analytic results agree closely with the computer simulation. As the velocity of the test particle increases, it is shown analytically that the damping diminishes, and eventually a fully developed plasma oscillation is established in the wake of the particle.