The existence of a heating phase was also demonstrated in stability
region B. Fig. 
shows a 2-ion configuration evolving through the heating phase.
The running average of kinetic energy increases, as does the mean separation of the ions. File 8crBmelt.trp shows 8 Mg
ions in the heating phase
in stability region B: note the gain in kinetic energy.
Figure: Two Mg
ions evolving from a crystalline configuration to
the Mathieu regime upon removal of viscous damping.
source file: 2CrB.trp.