A Second-Order Theory for Electron Plasma Solitary Waves in a Cylindrical Waveguide

To describe the long time asymptotic behaviour of weakly nonlinear plasma waves propagating in a strongly magnetized plasmafilled cylindrical waveguide the usual KDV equation which is first order in wave amplitude is extended to second order including the effects of finite temperature, mobile ions and giving a proper treatment to the radial co-ordinate for all possible modes of propagation. The second-order effects on the first-order solitary wave profile, phase speed and first order correction to the wavelength are all determined and discussed.