Scattering of Electromagnetic Waves by a Cylindrically Inhomogeneous Plasma

Abstract

The expressions of the scattering electromagnetic fields are obtained by using the exact solutions of the field equations in the concentric cylindrical media whose propagation coefficients are given by k 0 , k r m and k 1 for a radial distance r 1 ≦ r , r 2 < r < r 1 and r ≦ r 2 respectively and the medium varies continuously through the boundaries r = r i ( i =1, 2). The notations k 0 , k and k 1 are independent of r , and m gives the inhomogeneity of the plasma and by its value the field is very sensibly and complicatedly affected. The normal incident cylindrical and plane electromagnetic waves are assumed to be polarized to perpendicular and parallel to the axis of the plasma column. A calculation by the saddle point method leads to the three types of the rays each of which has a simple form and a clear physical meaning. From the numerical calcurations of the field strengths of these rays, many characteristic scattering patterns which are never anticipated from a homogeneous system are obtained for the...