Effect of a novel nonlinearity, viz., electron temperature dependence of electron-ion recombination on electromagnetic wave. Plasma interaction: Nonlinear propagation in the E-layer

Abstract

In this paper, we consider the nonlinearity in the propagation of electromagnetic (e.m.) waves in a plasma caused by the electron temperature dependence of the coefficient of recombination of electrons with ions; specifically, the ionospheric E layer has been investigated. The enhancement in electron temperature by an intense electromagnetic wave causes reduction of the electron-ion recombination coefficient and thereby enhancement of electron density, the electron collision frequency also gets enhanced. The equations for number and energy balance of electrons and the wave equation have been used to predict the dependence of electron density/collision frequency and the nonlinear refractive index and absorption coefficient on αE02 (proportional to wave irradiance). The dependence of the propagation parameters on αE02 has been used to investigate the nonlinear electromagnetic wave propagation in the ionosphere. The study concludes that the electron temperature dependence of the recombination coefficient should be considered in all analyses of nonlinear plasma-e.m. wave interaction.