Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 March 2009
Field variables in a slowly varying plasma are solutions of a system of differential and integral equations. To solve these equations, the fields are expanded in the eigenvectors of an algebraic plasma tensor, and the plasma equations can be transformed into a system of transport equations. The expansion becomes singular when eigenvalues coincide (for example in the case of mode conversion). It is shown how this problem can be resolved for an arbitrary system of Maxwell and/or fluid equations in arbitrary dimensions and for every kind of medium. The method is applied to horizontal stratified media as a simple example.