Providing a systematic and self-contained treatment of excitation, propagation and re- emission of electromagnetic waves guided by density ducts in magnetized plasmas, this book describes in detail the theoretical basis of the electrodynamics of ducts. The classical dielectric-waveguide theory in open guiding systems in magnetoplasma is subjected to rigorous generalization. The authors emphasize the conceptual physical and mathematical aspects of the theory, while demonstrating its applications to problems encountered in actual practice.

The opening chapters of the book discuss the underlying physical phenomena, outline some of the results obtained in natural and artificial density ducts, and describe the basic theory crucial to understanding the remainder of the book. The more specialized and complex topics dealt with in subsequent chapters include the theory of guided wave propagation along axially uniform ducts, finding the field excited by the source in the presence of a duct, excitation of guided modes, the asymptotic theory of wave propagation along axially nonuniform ducts, and mode re-emission from a duct.

The full wave theory is used throughout most of the book to ensure consistency, and the authors start with simpler cases and gradually increase the complexity of the treatment.