AbstractThe basic features of nonlinear ion acoustic (IA) waves are theoretically studied in a superthermal electron–positron–ion (e–p–i) plasma with weakly transverse perturbation. A three-dimensional Kadomtsev–Petviashvili (KP) equation governing evolution of weakly nonlinear IA waves is derived by means of a reductive perturbation method. The energy integral equation is used to study the existence domain of […]