Influences of spatial structure of plasma shock wave on electromagnetic wave propagation characteristics.

This article focuses on analyzing the propagation characteristics of electromagnetic waves in plasma shock layers, which are nonlinear, high-speed plasma states with sharply varying fluid parameters. Using a one-dimensional plasma shock wave model, the study calculates spatial distributions of plasma frequency and collision frequency across shock layers at different free stream Mach numbers. It employs the recursive convolution finite-difference time-domain (RC-FDTD) method to simulate electromagnetic wave propagation, finding that absorption decreases with increasing wave frequency and is greater downstream due to higher plasma frequency. At high Mach numbers, thicker shock layers induce nonlinear modulation phenomena in electromagnetic waves, manifesting as beat-like or oscillatory patterns that diminish at higher frequencies, highlighting complex plasma-wave interactions relevant to hypersonic vehicle communication systems.