Waves in Cold Plasmas

Abstract

In this chapter we analyze the problem of wave propagation in cold plasmas. In the cold plasma model the thermal kinetic energy of the particles is ignored and the corresponding velocity distribution function is a Dirac delta function centered at the macroscopic fluid velocity. The study of waves in plasmas is very useful for plasma diagnostics, since it provides information on the plasma properties. The theory of wave propagation in a cold homogeneous plasma, immersed in a magnetic field, is commonly known as magnetoionic theory.