Dispersion relation of an electromagnetic wave in unmagnetized cold plasma

TL;DR

This paper derives a modified dispersion relation for electromagnetic waves in unmagnetized cold plasma, incorporating the ion restoring force in the transverse direction, which extends the classical understanding of wave propagation in plasma.

Contribution

It introduces a new dispersion relation that accounts for ion restoring forces, providing a more comprehensive model for wave behavior in plasma.

Findings

Modified dispersion relation including ion restoring force

Enhanced understanding of wave propagation in plasma

Potential implications for plasma physics applications

Abstract

The dispersion relation of an electromagnetic wave in an unmagnetized neutral plasma is well known to be w^2=wp^2+(ck)^2. A modified dispersion relation is presented taking into account the ion restoring force in the transverse direction.