HR: 0830h
AN: SM41B-0566    [PDF]
TI: Reflection of Alfven Waves from Boundaries with Various Conductivities
AU: * Leneman, D
EM: leneman@physics.ucla.edu
AF: UCLA, 1000 Veteran Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90096 United States
AU: Maggs, J
EM:
AF: UCLA, 1000 Veteran Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90096 United States
AU: Gekelman, W
EM:
AF: UCLA, 1000 Veteran Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90096 United States
AB: The reflection of Alfv\'{e}n waves from conducting boundaries or boundary layers plays a crucial role in many laboratory and natural plasmas because the reflected wave can reduce or enhance the electric field pattern of the incident wave. In the Large Plasma Device at UCLA we are investigating the reflection of shear Alfv\'{e}n waves from surfaces of various conductivities, from insulating to conducting. A single frequency wave is launched from an antenna and reflects from a large reflecting surface inserted into the plasma column. By using various materials, the axially integrated conductivity of the reflecting disk can be adjusted relative to the Alfv\'{e}n conductivity, 1/($\mu_{0}$v$_{A}$). The data are compared with the expected theoretical behavior of the reflected wave amplitude and phase as a function of the reflecting surface conductivity.
DE: 0654 Plasmas
DE: 0664 Reflectors and feeds
DE: 0689 Wave propagation (4275)
DE: 2427 Ionosphere/atmosphere interactions (0335)
DE: 2471 Plasma waves and instabilities
SC: SPA - Magnetospheric Physics [SM]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting