Ray trajectories of lower hybrid solitary structures

Abstract

The correlation between large-amplitude lower hybrid waves and density depletions, termed "spikelets," "lower hybrid cavities," or "lower hybrid solitary structures" has been attributed to the change in the refractive index computed from the homogeneous plasma dispersion relation. However, the appropriate refractive index includes the electron Hall term involving the density gradient. We demonstrate that the Hall term produces ray trajectories which are profoundly different from the homogeneous plasma dispersion relation. Copyright 2003 by the American Geophysical Union.