Elliptically polarized modes in relativistic magnetized spin quantum plasma

Abstract

The influence of relativistic correction on the propagation properties of a high-frequency range of the elliptically polarized extraordinary electromagnetic (EP-X-EM) waves in the magnetized spin quantum plasma (MSQP) is investigated by a quantum magneto hydrodynamics model. In such a situation, the relativistic effect becomes particularly noticeable in the presence of a very strong external magnetic field B0≥BQ≡4.4138×109 T and a highly dense plasma n0≫nQ≃1032 m−3 where BQ and nQ are the quantum critical magnetic field strength and electron density, respectively. For comparing with a non-relativistic regime, a new dispersion relation that extends the classical EP-X-EM waves to the quantum relativistic context is derived. Furthermore, the cut-off and resonance frequencies of this type of waves are also obtained, allowing us to define the pass and stop bands where waves can propagate in the plasma. As a new result of our work, it is found that the relativistic effect can lead to reduction in the group velocities of these waves through a MSQP. The paper discusses a number of consequential results that are useful in understanding the propagation properties of such waves in dense astrophysical bodies as well as intense laser-solid density plasma interaction experiments.