Radiation pressure of radio frequency waves on turbulence in edge plasmas

Abstract

The scattering of radio frequency (RF) waves – lower hybrid and helicon waves – by a single cylindrical filament, embedded in a background plasma, is studied using a full-wave analytical theory. While a filament can affect the propagation of RF waves, the radiation force exerted by the waves can influence the filament. The force on a filament is determined using the Maxwell stress tensor. The radiation force can either pull the filament towards the RF source or push it away. The radiation force, in the two frequency ranges, is large enough to impact the motion of a filament and could be measured experimentally. Consequently, it may be possible to modify the edge turbulence using RF waves.