Wave modes, waveforms, linear mode conversion, & propagation in density turbulence

• We investigated the characteristics of Langmuir/z mode waves in the solar wind and other magnetized plasmas, relevant to interplanetary radio sources and to more strongly magnetized plasmas [Willes and Cairns, 2000].
• We investigated theoretically the waveforms of Langmuir waves propagating in density turbulence and subject to reflection, linear mode conversion, tunneling and trapping in density irregularities [Willes and Cairns, 2001]. This involved directly calculating the waveforms using Maxwell's equations and fluid theory. The predictions are directly relevant to Wind spacecraft observations. A preliminary analysis of waves subject to propagation in and reflection by density irregularities [Willes et al., 2002] shows the theoretical predictions to be very similar to available waveform data. However, the theory shows that the signatures of linear mode conversion should be very difficult to detect observationally.

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