What question did this study set out to answer?

The research aims to experimentally observe dispersive shock waves in an electron beam and explore their dynamics.

February 2, 2026Open Access

First observations of dispersive shock waves from the KdV equation in an electron beam

Key Points

The research aims to experimentally observe dispersive shock waves in an electron beam and explore their dynamics.
Conducted experiments using a 10 keV electron beam at the University of Maryland Electron Ring (UMER)
Perturbed the electron beam with a localized velocity dip
Analyzed current profiles for oscillatory structures consistent with dispersive shock behavior
Validated findings with particle-in-cell simulations using the WARP code
Successful observation of oscillatory current profiles indicative of dispersive shock waves
Results align with predictions from the KdV equation
Demonstrated potential for further studies on nonlinear effects in intense beam systems

Abstract

We present the first experimental observation of dispersive shock waves (DSWs) in an electron beam. Using the University of Maryland Electron Ring (UMER), a 10 keV electron beam was perturbed with a localized beam velocity dip. The resulting current profiles evolve into oscillatory structures consistent with dispersive shock behavior governed by the Korteweg–de Vries (KdV) equation. These results are predicted by particle-in-cell simulations using the WARP code. The observed dynamics open new avenues for studying nonlinear longitudinal phenomena in intense beam systems.

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