Simple reflection in an ionizing gas cloud

Mode conversion theory has been applied to one-dimensional reflection in a time-varying inhomogeneous plasma, and numerical results have been obtained. Degenerate mode conversion, i.e. mode conversion between two eigenvectors of a plasma dispersion tensor with the same eigenvalues, can be analyzed using the same techniques as for nondegenerate mode conversion by adding several Maxwell two-fluid unknowns and equations into an initial description of the problem. This procedure has been applied to simple reflection in a slowly varying plasma with no magnetic field. Numerical methods permit evaluation of electric field in a time- and space-varying plasma without the use of mode-coupling theory. A finite-difference code was used to solve for field profiles in a one-dimensional gas cell with a slowly varying plasma density. Results have been obtained above and below the plasma critical density. They have been applied to microwave breakdown in the atmosphere. >