The effect of gradients of density and static magnetic field on the propagation of surface waves and on wave–beam interaction

Abstract

The propagation of slow surface waves in an inhomogeneous plasma is investigated. Both ‘axial’ and ‘radial’ density gradients n(r) and those of the static magnetic field B0 are taken into account. It is demonstrated that the axial in- homogeneities n(z) and B0(z) result in the dependence of the natural surface- wave frequencies on the ‘axial’ co-ordinate z. The dependence ωSW(z) affects the phase velocity νph = ωswsol;K where K iS the propagation constant. So, in the case of surface-wave excitation by a charged particle beam in an ‘axially’ inhomogeneous plasma, the Cherenkov resonance ωSW= KV0 between the beam and the surface waves breaks, thereby reducing the growth rate of unstable oscillations. This phenomenon might be considered as the stabilization of the beam by the ‘axial’ density gradient. It is also shown that the ‘radial’ gradients n0(r) and B0(r) essentially affect the surface-wave natural frequencies as well. Dispersion equations, expressions for the natural frequencies and growth rates are obtaind, taking into account the gradients of the density and the static magnetic field.