Exact and paraxial Airy propagation of relativistic electron plasma wavepackets

Abstract

The different forms of propagation of relativistic electron plasma wavepackets in terms of Airy functions are studied. It is shown that exact solutions can be constructed showing accelerated propagations along coordinates transverse to the thermal speed cone coordinate. Similarly, Airy propagation is a solution for relativistic electron plasma waves in the paraxial approximation. This regime is considered in time domain, when paraxial approximation is considered for frequency, and in space domain, when paraxial approximation is considered for wavelength. In both different cases, the wavepackets remain structured in the transverse plane. Using these solutions we are able to define generalized and arbitrary Airy wavepackets for electron plasma waves, depending on arbitrary spectral functions. Examples of this construction are presented. These electron plasma Airy wavepackets are the most general solutions of this kind.