Current research involves investigation of the propagation of whistler-mode waves in the Earth's ionosphere and magnetosphere. These plasma waves, whose frequencies lie below the electron gyrofrequency, are guided by enhancements of plasma density (ducts) aligned with the geomagnetic field, and so may propagate through the magnetosphere from the northern hemisphere to the southern hemisphere, or vice versa. The waves are strongly dispersive, and their observation has provided a great deal of information about the magnetosphere. Propagation in ducts is analogous to that of light in optical waveguides, though the anisotropy of magnetized plasma introduces extra complications. Problems being studied include excitation of, and radiation from ducts, and the effects of fine structure.

Postgraduate Study