ON THE PROPAGATION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES IN A PLASMA WITH NEGATIVE IONS

Abstract

Small-amplitude electromagnetic wave propagation has been studied in a collisionless plasma containing electrons and positive and negative ions having a different charge-to-mass ratio. The Chew–Goldberger–Low approximation is used for an unbounded, homogeneous plasma in a uniform magnetic field under the assumption of charge neutrality. The analysis of the dispersion relation shows new branches of oscillations, in the zero-temperature limit as well. The classification of waves is presented using the Clemmow–Mullay–Allis diagrams calculated for several plasmas of interest: the laboratory Cs+ Cl− and Cl+ Cl− plasmas and plasma forming the D layer in the ionosphere. New resonances and stop bands have been found for the right-hand polarized wave and the extraordinary wave in the low-frequency region. The isotropic wave propagation at the crossover frequencies and for degenerate plasma is discussed.The dynamics of particles is discussed and the frequency regions in which the positive and negative ions move in opposite phase are given.