Helicity waves propagating in a plasma
Abstract
There exist plasma waves that transport helicity although they do not propagate electromagnetic energy. The dispersion relations of such helicity waves are studied. The electric field of the waves is parallel to the perturbed magnetic field, and both are perpendicular to the perturbed current. In cross-field propagation, a helicity wave is decomposed into two transverse modes with different polarizations and a longitudinal part. The helicity waves are principally Alfvénic in the low-frequency limit. At high frequencies, the Faraday effect comes into the polarization.
- Publication:
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Journal of Plasma Physics
- Pub Date:
- June 1991
- DOI:
- 10.1017/S0022377800015841
- Bibcode:
- 1991JPlPh..45..481Y