Extraordinary-Mode Radiation Produced by Linear-Mode Conversion of Langmuir Waves

Abstract

Linear-mode conversion (LMC) of Langmuir waves to radiation near the plasma frequency at density gradients is important for space and astrophysical phenomena. We study LMC in warm magnetized plasmas using numerical electron fluid simulations when the density gradient is parallel to the ambient magnetic field (B0). We demonstrate that LMC can produce extraordinary- (x-) as well as ordinary- (o-) mode radiation from Langmuir waves, contrary to earlier expectations of o mode only. Equal amounts of o- and x-mode radiation are produced in the unmagnetized limit. The x-mode efficiency decreases as B0 increases, while the o-mode efficiency oscillates due to interference between incoming and reflected Langmuir waves. Both x and o modes should be produced for typical coronal and interplanetary parameters, alleviating the depolarization problem for type III solar radio bursts.