Comment on 'Plasma ionization by annularly bounded helicon waves' [Phys . Plasmas 13, 063501 (2006)]

摘要

The neoclassical calculation of the helicon wave theory contains afundamental flaw. Use is made of a proportional relationship between themagnetic field and its curl to derive the Helmholtz equation describing heliconwave propagation; however, by the fundamental theorem of Stokes, the curl ofthe magnetic field must be perpendicular to that portion of the fieldcontributing to the local curl. Reexamination of the equations of motionindicates that only electromagnetic waves propagate through a stationary regionof constant pressure in a fully ionized, neutral medium.