Propagation of Electromagnetic and Electroacoustic Waves through Compressible Electron-Ion Plasma

Abstract

General equations have been developed for the propagation of electromagnetic and electroacoustic waves due to a current source in homogeneous, isotropic and compressible two component (electron-ion) plasma employing the linearized two fluid continuum theory of partially ionized plasma dynamics. From these it is shown that the electromagnetic mode is pure and propagates in a specific range of frequency spectrum. As against this, the electroacoustic mode is a mixed mode due to coupling of electron and ion modes but propagates throughout the whole range of frequency spectrum. The results obtained in the present paper are of general nature from which particular cases of propagation treated by earlier workers can be deduced.