A study of mode conversion in an oxygen–hydrogen plasma

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Abstract
Linear mode conversion is considered between the ion‐cyclotron and magnetosonic branches in a multispecies plasma with parallel magnetic field gradients. The results are interpreted in terms of ion conic heating. The mode‐conversion coefficients are solved using perturbation theory, a phase integral approach, and saddle‐point theory. These results are compared with numerical calculations. The coefficients thus obtained demonstrate that substantial coupling occurs between the four propagating modes, and a definite absorption occurs. Such absorption corresponds to ion heating and is, under realistic circumstances, sufficient to explain the outflow and heating of ionospheric oxygen.