Magneto-Acoustic Wave in a Cold Collisionless Plasma with Random Inhomogeneous Density Distribution

Abstract

Magneto-acoustic wave propagating perpendicularly to an external magnetic field in a cold collisionless plasma with random inhomogeneous density distribution is investigated. By means of the binary collision approximation, an equation for the amplitude of the wave is derived and it is found that, due to the randomness of the density distribution, the amplitude of the wave is damped, the wavelength is extended and the speed of the wave is increased.