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Waves in a cold plasma with spatially periodic sheared fields

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 March 2009

D. A. Diver
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, U.K.
E. W. Laing
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, U.K.
C. C. Sellar
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, U.K.

Abstract

We have studied wave propagation in a cold plasma, in the presence of a spatially rotating magnetic field of constant magnitude. New features introduced by this variation include streaming velocities and a plasma current in equilibrium and density fluctuations. We present only the case of wave propagation along the axis of rotation of the magnetic field. A set of ordinary differential equations for the electric field components is obtained, which may be combined into a single fourth-order ordinary differential equation with periodic coefficients. Solutions are obtained in closed form and their nature is determined in terms of the physical parameters of the System, magnetic field strength, number density and wave frequency.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

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References

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