Global ion cyclotron waves in a perpendicularly stratified, one-dimensional warm plasma

The sixth-order wave equation which results from a finite temperature expansion of the Vlasov equation is solved globally in a perpendicularly stratified, one-dimensional slab plasma. The diamagnetic drift and associated anisotropy are included in the unperturbed distribution function to ensure a self-adjoint system. All x-dependence in the plasma pressure and magnetic field is retained along with the electric field parallel to vector B. Thus, Landau damping of the ion Bernstein wave is included as well. Because the wave equation is solved implicitly as a two-point boundary value problem, the evanescent short-wavelength Bernstein waves do not grow exponentially as in shooting methods. Solutions to the complete sixth-order partial differential equation are compared to those from an approximate second-order equation based on local dispersion theory. Strong variations occur in the absorption and in the structure of the wave fields as resonance topology is varied