Relations between magnetosonic perturbations as an indicator of a magnetosonic exciter and equilibrium parameters of a plasma

Abstract

The thermodynamic relations between perturbation of pressure and perturbation of mass density and between components of velocity which specify a magnetosonic wave are theoretically studied. A planar flow with the wave vector forming a constant angle with the equilibrium magnetic field is investigated. The theory considers deviation from the adiabaticity of a flow due to some kind of heating–cooling function and thermal conduction of a plasma. It considers also the weak impact of nonlinearity. The thermodynamic relations and corresponding diagrams reveal the hysteretic character of irreversible processes in a plasma flow and may indicate damping and nonlinear parameters of a flow. They may indicate also the geometry of a flow, the equilibrium parameters of plasma, and specify a magnetosonic source. The harmonic and impulsive exciters are discussed in this connection.