New approach of studying electromagnetic mode coupling in inhomogeneous magnetized plasma

In this paper we use a new approach to derive the system of first-order coupled equations governing the propagation of electromagnetic waves in an inhomogeneous magnetized plasma for normal incidence. In this new approach we employ a step model and use Maxwell's equations indirectly. The method we present here possesses simplicity in mathematical manipulation and gives a clearer physical picture of the mechanism of mode-coupling. The variablesE_i used in the coupled equations are directly related to experimental measurements. Our result is shown to be equivalent to that obtained by Budden and Clemmow (1957).