Propagation Characteristics of Electrostatic and Whistler Waves in Plasma Columns

Abstract

By means of the probe antenna, the electrostatic wave in the low density region and the Whistler wave in the high density region can be excited in the magnetized plasma column with the finite diameter. The propagation characteristics of both waves are measured in detail by the interferometer method. The observed transition region from the electro-static to Whistler wave is interpreted well by using the model of the longitudinally magnetized plasma waveguide. It is experimentally confirmed that the Whistler wave is right-hand circularly polarized. The observed dispersion curves agree well with theoretical prediction.