Direction Finding of the Waves in Plasma Using Energy Function

Abstract

Investigation of space environment around the earth has become a critical issue. In addition to the artificial waves propagating from the ground, a variety of natural plasma waves generated in the magnetosphere are detected by scientific satellites. As the characteristics of these waves reect the plasma environment around the earth, it is important to measure the propagation (wave normal) directions of these waves. Since signals observed by a satellite may be a mixture of the waves from multiple directions, we must assume unknown parameters of these waves without prior information. In the present study, we propose a new direction finding method derived from the concept of energy function.