INTERACTION OF SOUND-WAVES WITH SLOW DISSIPATIVE LAYERS IN ANISOTROPIC PLASMAS IN THE APPROXIMATION OF WEAK NONLINEARITY

Nonlinear theory of driven magnetohydrodynamics waves in the slow diss ipative layer in anisotropic plasmas developed by Ballai, Ruderman, an d Erdelyi [Phys. plasmas 5, 252 (1998)] is used to study the nonlinear interaction of sound waves with static one-dimensional anisotropic pl asmas. The magnetic configuration consists of a nonhomogeneous magneti c slab sandwiched by a homogeneous magnetic-free plasma and by a homog eneous magnetic plasma. Sound waves launched from the magnetic-free pl asma propagate into the inhomogeneous region interacting with the loca lized slow dissipative layer and are partially reflected, dissipated o r transmitted by this region. The nonlinearity parameter, introduced b y Ballai, Ruderman, and Erdelyi, is assumed to be small and a regular perturbation method is used to obtain analytical wave solutions. The m ain effects caused by nonlinearity in the dissipative layer are the de crease in the absorption coefficient and the generation of higher harm onics in the outgoing wave in addition to the fundamental one. We also found that the nonlinear coefficient of wave energy absorption does d epend on the particular type of dissipation operating in the slow diss ipative layer. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics. [S1070-664X(98) 03806-3]