Effect of density fluctuations on lower hybrid resonance cone propagation

Experimental measurements show that coherent, azimuthal density fluctuations (1) focus lower hybrid resonance cones azimuthally, and (2) modulate the radial location of the resonance cones. A simple theory based on wave refraction is presented; this theory is in good agreement with the experimental observations. The theory is extended to give a physical description of wave propagation through turbulent, isotropic (perpendicular to B) noise such as has been observed in tokamaks; it is found that the turbulence causes the lower hybrid wave vectors to have an angular spread in the plane perpendicular to B.