Linear surface waves propagating along discontinuities within a relativistic plasma

Abstract

A relativistic two-fluid theory of linear surface waves propagating along the density and/or temperature discontinuity within a relativistic plasma has been developed. The effect of relativistic temperatures can be described by an increase of the effective particle mass by a factor proportional to the enthalpy per unit rest mass. As the electron temperature increases, the surface wave frequency spectrum is downshifted and shrinks and the contribution of the ion component to the dispersion properties becomes increasingly pronounced. In addition to the ‘‘standard’’ situation in the theory of surface waves when one deals with a density discontinuity, now a surface wave-type solution formally exists even in a homogeneous plasma containing a temperature discontinuity.