ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the propagation of electromagnetic waves in plasmas near thermodynamic equilibrium. It deals with the simple case of a plasma without an external magnetic field; the medium is isotropic. The chapter also considers the cases of a plasma in an external magnetic field. It describes the wave propagation perpendicular to the magnetic field. The chapter explains a two-component plasma consisting of electrons and singly charged ions; their average densities are assumed to be equal. As may be clear from a comparison between and a formula such as or, a dielectric constant in this case may be determined as For a hydrogen plasma, the chapter computes where n and B are measured in units of cm and gauss. Hence, the combined result should resemble the low-frequency mode obtained in an uncompensated electron plasma.
