Method for predicting the properties of cyclotron harmonic waves from the perpendicular dispersion relation

A theoretical method is proposed for predicting the properties of the backward propagating cyclotron harmonic waves from the simple dispersion curve for perpendicular propagation. This method is illustrated for the frequency range 1 ω÷ω_c ω 2, where ω and ω_c, are, respectively, the wave and electron cyclotron frequencies, and is applicable from very low to infinite plasma densities. The behaviour of the backward propagating cyclotron harmonic wave in the whole propagation space and then in the real space can be easily deduced. The method can be extended to any dispersion branch of backward cyclotron harmonic waves.