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Nonlinear waves in a hot plasma by Lorentz transformation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 March 2009

P. C. Clemmow
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Mathematics and Theorelical Physics, Cambridge University

Extract

Wave propagation in a hot, collisionless electron plasma (without ambient magnetic field) is analyzed by coisidering the frame of reference in which the field has no space dependence. It is shown that the governing equations are of the same form as those for a cold plasma, and are likely to have corresponding exact (nonlinear, relativistic) solutions. In particular, it is shown that there exists a solution representing a purely transverse, circularly polarized, monochromatic wave. Three approximate forms of the dispersion relation of this wave are obtained explicitly, the first being valid when the temperature correction is small, the second applying to weak waves, and the third to strong waves. Purely longitudinal waves are also discussed.

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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1975

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