Effect of Ion Collisions on Interaction of Longitudinal Electromagnetic Waves with Half-space Plasma

Abstract

The expressions for fields and penetration depth are derived and discussed for half-space (<i>z</i> > 0), filled with homogeneous, collisional and warm plasma. It is observed that the penetration depth <i>δ/δ_e</i>, (in the unit of electron penetration depth) remains constant in the vicinity of unity at low ion density (<i>ω_pi</i>/<i>ω_pe</i> =0.005), whereas for lower ion thermal velocity, the penetration depth increases and the wave gets highly reflected at higher ion thermal velocity. The penetration depth decreases for higher ion collision frequency and ion density.