Nonlinear waves in a hot plasma by Lorentz transformation

Abstract

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.