A boundary problem in a plasma

Abstract

An isotropic Vlasov plasma occupies an infinite space, the upper half of which (y> 0) is a dielectric. A transverse disturbance is incident normally on the face of the dielectric. The waves that are excited in each half of the space are obtained. It is shown that this result can be extended to cover the refiexion problem of any normally incident disturbance in a plasma defined by a dispersion relationDi(w, k). A few examples are considered; in particular transverse waves in a plasma streaming normal to the boundary where Čerenkov instability can occur.