Head-on collision of ion-acoustic solitary waves in an unmagnetized electron-positron-ion plasma

The head-on collision between two ion-acoustic solitary waves in an unmagnetized electron-positron-ion plasma has been investigated. By using the extended Poincare-Lighthill-Kuo perturbation method, we obtain the KdV equation and the analytical phase shift after the head-on collision of two solitary waves in this three-component plasma. The effects of the ratio of electron temperature to positron temperature, and the ratio of the number density of positrons to that of electrons on the phase shift are studied. It is found that these parameters can significantly influence the phase shifts of the solitons. Moreover, the compressive solitary wave can propagate in this system.