DIELECTRIC EFFECTS ON THOMSON SCATTERING IN A RELATIVISTIC MAGNETIZED PLASMA

The effects of the dielectric properties of a relativistic magnetized plasma on the scattering of electromagnetic radiation by fluctuations in electron density are investigated. The origin of the density fluctuations is not considered. Expressions for the scattering cross-section and the scattered power accepted by the receiving antenna are derived for a plasma with spatial dispersion. The resulting expressions allow thermal motion to be included in the description of the plasma and remain valid for frequencies of the probing radiation in the region of omega(p) and omega(ce), provided the absorption is small. Symmetry between variables relating to incident and scattered fields is demonstrated and shown to be in agreement with the reciprocity relation. Earlier results are confirmed in the cold plasma limit. Significant relativistic effects, of practical importance to the scattering of millimeter waves in large Tokamaks, are predicted.