Electrostatic waves in warm random plasmas †

Abstract

Abstract The propagation constants for electrostatic waves in warm plasmas with random electron density are developed. It has been found that for a collisionless plasma attenuation exists. Although the attenuation coefficient depends on the statistical condition of the plasma at all frequencies, the phase constant is relatively unaffected by randomness at frequencies far greater than the mean plasma frequency. Finally, the group velocity of the wave changes sign in the frequency range close to the mean plasma frequency.