ON THE CONICAL REFRACTION OF HYDROMAGNETIC-WAVES IN PLASMA WITH ANISOTROPIC THERMAL PRESSURE - GENERAL CONSIDERATION

A phenomenon analogous to the conical refraction well known in crystal o-optics and crystaloacoustics is considered for the magnetohydrodynam ical waves in a collisionless plasma with anisotropic thermal pressure . imposing the most general condition for the existence of the phenome non, the angle of the conical refraction is calculated, which appeared to be dependent on the ratio of the Alfven velocity and sound speed m easured in the perpendicular direction with respect to the external ma gnetic field. Feasible ways to experimentally demonstrate the phenomen on are discussed and a novelty brought about by the general considerat ion is outlined. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.