Dispersion in relativistic plasmas

Abstract

The linear response tensor completely describes the linear electromagnetic properties of a medium. In particular the linear response tensor determines the properties of the natural wave modes of the medium, including the dispersion relation, the polarization vector, the energetics and the damping (chapter 2). Most plasmas consist of thermal particles plus various nonthermal distributions that are important in exciting waves. However, the properties of the waves themselves are determined primarily by the thermal particles. Hence, the case of an isotroptic thermal distribution plays a central role in the theory of dispersion in plasmas. © 2008 Springer-Verlag New York.