Ionization formation of plasma inhomogeneity by the near-zone field of a magnetic-type source in a magnetized plasma

An investigations is made of the steady-state structure of a plasma inhomogeneity arising as a result of high-frequency heating and additional ionization of a background magnetized plasma by the near-zone field of a magnetic-type source (ring electric current). It is assumed that the source axis is parallel to an external magnetic field; the source frequency belongs in the low hybrid band. The main attention is focused on the particular case (important for possible applications) when the characteristic longitudinal and transverse scales of density distribution considerably exceed the corresponding scales of distribution of the electron temperature and of the source field. Simplified equations for the near-zone field of the source, the electron temperature, and the plasma density are written for this particular case. Based on the numerical solution of these equations, steady-state distributions of plasma parameters in the formed plasma inhomogeneity are found. It is demonstrated that a plasma inhomogeneity proves to be markedly extended along the external magnetic field. It is found that, for the values of the source current that are attainable under the conditions of active ionospheric and model laboratory experiments, the maximum plasma density in a nonuniform plasma may appreciably exceed the background value.