Magnetic-moment field generation in the reflection region in a cold magnetized plasma

Abstract

Magnetization due to a magnetic moment contributes to the non-oscillating magnetic field in a plasma. The dynamics ofclassically bound electrons in the presence of an applied circularly polarized strong electromagnetic field in the reflection region generates this field. The special case of its resonant generation when the frequency of a right circularlypolarized wave is equal to the ion gyration frequency is studied here. Another source of non-oscillating magnetization isthe interaction of electromagnetic fields, including fields in the Alfvén-wave frequency range, with a cold collisionless fully ionized magnetized plasma also in the reflection region. The induced field from a left circularly polarized field at Alfvén-wave frequencies is paramagnetic, inversely proportional to the square of the ambient field and independent of the mass per particle of both electrons and ions. The induced field from a right circularly polarized field at Alfvén-wave frequencies is diamagnetic, inversely proportional to the cube of the ambient field and depends directly on the plasma mass density.