Low-frequency waves in an unbounded plasma

Abstract

A comprehensive treatment of the propagation of low-frequency plane waves in a low β, homogeneous plasma in a magnetic field is based on the two fluid equations without collision terms. The treatment covers the three lower frequency branches of the complete dispersion curves, extending up to the electron cyclotron frequency. Dispersion curves for propagation at an angle to the magnetic field are given for representative parameters, and simple expressions tabulated for the electric field polarization and the electron and ion mean velocities along each section of these curves. The physical reasons for the changes in these quantities with increasing wavenumber are discussed for each of the three branches.