Effect of artificial plasma irregularities on the excitation of whistlers in a magnetoplasma

An analysis is made of the excitation and propagation of whistlers in a cylindrical plasma waveguide with sharp boundaries surrounded by a background plasma with a smaller electron density. It is shown that weakly damped natural modes can exist in such a waveguide, and can efficiently transfer whistler energy over fairly long distances. The radiation resistance of a loop antenna with respect to these modes is considered.