Electromagnetic Plane Wave Scattering From a Plasma‐Coated Conducting Cylinder

The problem of electromagnetic plane wave scattering from a plasma‐coated, conducting, circular cylinder is considered. Both the TE and TM modes of polarization (with respect to the cylinder axis) are used. Numerical results are given for the back‐scattering cross section per unit length of the cylinder for normal incidence with the TE mode of incidence. In addition to evaluating this cross section with the use of the general model of a compressible, anisotropic plasma. for the sheath, several simpler models are also used and evaluated numerically. When compressible models are used, two different boundary conditions, the rigid and the soft boundaries, are used at the plasma‐air interface. The results of these calculations are then compared. The results indicate that when the soft boundary is used, only a slight degree of coupling between the electromagnetic mode and the pressure mode is obtained. A much greater degree of coupling is obtained with the use of the rigid boundary.