Nonlinear transverse waves in plasmas

Conference · Mon Apr 29 04:00:00 EDT 1963

OSTI ID:4875567

Wang, H. S.C.; Lojko, M. S.

The propagation of nonlinear stationary transverse waves in plasmas is investigated by first solving a relativistic Vlasov equation for the electrons under the influence of a Lorentz force due to a propagating 4-potential rigorously and without linearization. The solution, which reduces to a given equilibrium electron velocity distribution function, is then substituted into the Maxwell equations, and a set of wave equations is obtained. While nonlinearity couples the transverse and longitudinal modes exxept for the special case, propagation of plane-polarized transverse waves in both cold and hot plasmas is studied in the quasi-neutrality approximation. The conditions for the existence of periodic solutions for the nonlinear transverse wave equations indicate that propagation is possible only when the wave velocity exceeds the velocity of light for plasmas free from external magnetic field. Expressions for waveform and frequency in terms of elliptical integrals are derived. Unlike the case of longitudinal waves, the nonlinear effect on transverse waves is manifested primarily in the reduction of frequency rather than distortion in waveform. Several typical examples of waveform and dispersion characteristics (frequency vs. phase velocity) are computed and plotted, ranging from cold to ultra- relativistically hot plasmas. The nonlinear effect is more pronounced at lower electron temperatures. (auth)

• Research Organization: Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States); National Bureau of Standards, Boulder Labs., CO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: Sponsor not identified
• NSA Number: NSA-17-033199
• OSTI ID: 4875567
• Report Number(s): CONF-46--67; AED-Conf--63-048-14
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

DIAGRAMS
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
DISPERSIONS
DISTRIBUTION
ELECTRIC CHARGES
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTRODYNAMICS
ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES
ELECTROMAGNETISM
ELECTRONS
EQUATIONS
FREQUENCY
INTERACTIONS
LORENTZ FORCE
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAXWELL EQUATIONS
MOTION
NUMERICALS
PHYSICS
PLASMA
POLARIZATION
RELATIVITY THEORY
TEMPERATURE
VELOCITY
VLASOV EQUATION