Generation of a longitudinal current by a transverse electromagnetic field in collisional degenerate plasma (Q519705)

The Vlasov-Boltzmann equation, which describes degenerate plasma, is the starting point of the paper under review. The collisions are described by the BGK (Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook) collision integral. The electron distribution function is calculated up to the quadratic approximation in the electric field strength. A~formula is derived for the electric current. The discussion of the quality of this electric current states the following. The nonlinearity leads to the rise of a longitudinal current (along the wave vector) which is orthogonal to the known transverse electric current already calculated in the linear approximation. When the collision frequency tends to zero, all results in this collisional approach pass into the corresponding linear results obtained for a collisionless plasma. The second nonzero component of the electric current -- the second order, i.e., the quadratic term of the electric field strength -- is directed along the wave vector; this is a longitudinal current. This is the result of the nonlinear analysis in this approach. So it may be concluded that the presence of an electromagnetic field in this degenerate Vlasov-Boltzmann plasma leads to the generation of an electric current orthogonal to the field.