The propagation of plasma waves near multiples of the electron gyrofrequency

The dispersion relation for electrostatic plasma waves propagating at frequencies near the electron cyclotron harmonics has been evaluated, and used to determine the refractive index curves for varying values of the angle θ between the k vector and the ambient magnetic field B₀ in a warm magnetoplasma. It is shown that, under certain circumstances (which are defined), the (@, θ) curves have the characteristic ‘nose’ shapes that are necessary to provide a reflexion in the ambient plasma. Thus, the oblique echo reflexion mechanism (McAfee 1968, 1969a, b), which accounts for the appearance of the resonance signals or ‘spikes’ at the plasma and upper hybrid frequencies f_N and f_T on topside ionograms, may also be applied to the plasma waves propagating at frequencies near the electron gyro-harmonics. The relatively high damping that occurs for θ # 90° severely restricts the ranges of θ and wave-number k over which the reflexion mechanism applies. The restriction is such that the damping is severe for all values of θ when k is large, and for all values of θ outside a cone of ∽ 2° centred on θ = 90° when k is small.