KINETIC ALFVEN MODES IN A COLLISIONAL PLASMA

Kinetic modes of the Alfven wave in an inhomogeneous plasma are invest igated by using a two-fluid theory including a finite pressure effect, the Hall effect, electron inertia and collisional effects. The disper sion relation involving the kinetic Alfven wave, the surface electrost atic wave and the resistive wave is derived with the terms of ion-cycl otron frequency and electron-ion collisions, and it is also concluded that the observed waves in the experiment [Phys. Rev. Lett. 64 (1990) 1247; J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 59 (1990) 2374] are kinetic Alfven waves in a collisional plasma including ion-neutral collision effects.