Propagation and absorption of electromagnetic waves in fully relativistic plasmas

Journal Article · Sat Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1984 · Phys. Fluids; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.864587· OSTI ID:6294467

Batchelor, D B; Goldfinger, R C; Weitzner, H

The propagation and absorption of electromagnetic waves in a relativistic Maxwellian plasma are investigated by solving the uniform plasma dispersion relation. Both the Hermitian and the anti-Hermitian parts of the plasma conductivity tensor sigma are calculated relativistically. The Bessel functions occurring in sigma are not expanded, and many cyclotron harmonic terms are included at high temperatures. The dispersion relation is solved numerically for perpendicular propagation, k/sub parallel/ = 0, where the relativistic effects are maximum and are not masked by Doppler broadening, which has been more thoroughly investigated. It is found that relativistic broadening has a substantial effect on wave dispersion, shifting the extraordinary mode right-hand cutoff and the upper-hybrid resonance to higher magnetic field with increasing temperature. Above a critical temperature, the cutoff disappears entirely. There is a broad range of temperatures, 20 keV< or =T/sub e/ < or =500 keV, for which the wavenumber k/sub perpendicular/ differs significantly from both the cold-plasma value and the vacuum value. This has important implications for ray tracing in relativistic plasmas. Wave damping rates are calculated and compared to results from a previous formulation using the Poynting theorem, in which only the Hermitian part of sigma is calculated relativistically.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 6294467
• Journal Information: Phys. Fluids; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Fluids; (United States) Vol. 27:12; ISSN PFLDA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700108* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Wave Phenomena
ABSORPTION
BOLTZMANN STATISTICS
CYCLOTRON HARMONICS
DISPERSION RELATIONS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ENERGY ABSORPTION
HARMONICS
HERMITIAN OPERATORS
MATHEMATICAL OPERATORS
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
OSCILLATIONS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLASMA
RADIATIONS
RELATIVISTIC PLASMA
TENSORS