Numerical calculation of radiation pattern and impedance of column plasma

When the frequency of the incident electromagnetic wave is lower than that of the plasma, the high-density and low-temperature plasma column is equivalent to a good conductor. However, because of the dispersive relation and the uneven distribution of density, the wave vector propagating along the plasmas is not a real constant, but a complex quantity varying with the change in the space. So, it is hard to calculate the radiation pattern, radiation impedance and gain of the column plasma with the normal methods used with the metallic antenna. In this paper, the space distribution of the wave vectors of the signal along the column plasma is calculated from the dispersive relation of the non-magnetized columnar plasma. And then, according to the antenna equation, the radiation pattern, radiation impedance and gain of the columnar plasma with even or uneven axial density distribution can be derived. The experimental results show that the numerical values calculated by this new method are much more accurate. This method will be of great importance in the application of the plasmas in the antenna transportation. (authors)