The Influence of the Motion of a Strongly Magnetized Plasma on Radiation from a Traveling-Wave Antenna

Abstract

We consider the problem of radiation from a traveling-wave antenna in a warm electron plasma which moves along a strong magnetic field at a constant velocity. To describe the electromagnetic properties of the plasma, we use the diagonal tensor of dielectric permittivity, which is calculated for a magnetized plasma with the Maxwellian electron velocity distribution allowing for collisions of electrons with neutral molecules. The dispersion relation is analyzed numerically, and expressions for the field amplitudes in the wave zone are obtained. The radiation resistance of the antenna is calculated. It is shown that as the phase velocity of the traveling current wave in the antenna approaches the average velocity of the plasma motion, the radiation field decreases exponentially with distance from the source as a result of the efficient transfer of the wave energy to the plasma electrons due to collisionless interaction.