Complex geometric optics theory in an inhomogeneous plasma

The geometric optics theory is applied to an inhomogeneous plasma in which the dielectric tensor is not necessarily Hermitian. A complex dispersion relation for a non-degenerate plasma is obtained as well as complex ray tracing and amplitude equations. From the amplitude equation is possible to identify and separate the focusing effects according to their effects on the plasma, e.g. those ones due to cutoffs and resonances. It is expected that this treatment will enable one to investigate the propagation of radio-frequency electromagnetic waves near the harmonics of the cyclotron frequency where the condition Vertical Barsigma-circumflex/sup H/Vertical Bar<<sigma-circumflex/sup A/Vertical Bar is not satisfied