Ion-acoustic vortices in inhomogeneous and dissipative electron-positron-ion quantum magnetoplasmas

Linear and nonlinear properties of quantum ion-acoustic waves are studied in a nonuniform, dissipative quantum plasma (composed of electrons, positrons, and ions) with sheared ion flow parallel to the ambient magnetic field, using the quantum hydrodynamic model. It is shown that the shear ion flow parallel to the external magnetic field can drive the quantum ion-acoustic wave unstable provided vertical bar S vertical bar k(y) > k(z). Stationary solutions of the nonlinear equations that govern the quantum ion-acoustic waves are also obtained. It is found that electrostatic monopolar, dipolar, and vortex street-type solutions can appear in such a plasma. It is observed that the inclusion of positron, quantum statistical, and Bohm potential terms significantly modifies the scale lengths of these nonlinear structures. The relevance of the present investigation with regard to the dense astrophysical environments is also pointed out. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1.3112707]