Relationship between directions of wave and energy propagation for cold plasma waves

Abstract

The dispersion relation for plasma waves is considered in the ‘cold’ plasma approximation. General formulae for the dependence of the phase and group velocities on the direction of wave propagation with respect to the local magnetic field are obtained for a cold magnetized plasma. The principal cold plasma resonances and cut-off frequencies are defined for an arbitrary angle and are used to establish basic regimes of frequency where the cold plasma waves can propagate or can be evanescent. The relationship between direction of wave and energy propagation, for cold plasma waves in hydrogen atmosphere, is presented in the form of angle diagrams (angle between group velocity and magnetic field versus angle between phase velocity and magnetic field) and polar diagrams (also referred to as ‘Friedrich's diagrams’ ) for different directions of wave propagation. Morphological features of the diagrams as well as some critical angles of propagation are discussed.