Double-crossing mode conversion in nonuniform media
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States)
- Department of Physics, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia 23185 (United States)
A new type of mode conversion between two linear waves in a nonuniform medium is investigated. Single-crossing conversion occurs when a ray of one wave crosses {ital transversely} the dispersion manifold of another wave. {ital Double-crossing} mode conversion theory describes when the ray punctures the dispersion manifold twice due to ray {ital curvature}. To study this new process, a one dimensionally nonuniform background medium is considered, which gives rise to four scenarios. These scenarios are distinguished on the basis of whether the two waves have equal or opposite energy signs, and whether they are copropagating or counterpropagating. Using {ital modular}-eikonal theory (suitable for multiple crossings), each scenario is first studied analytically by constructing an S-matrix relation between the {ital outgoing} and {ital incoming} asymptotic wave amplitudes. The analytical results are then compared with numerical results and excellent agreement is found. {copyright} {ital 1998 American Institute of Physics.}
- OSTI ID:
- 565758
- Journal Information:
- Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 5, Issue 1; Other Information: PBD: Jan 1998
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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