Paraxial WKB solution of a scalar wave equation

An asymptotic method of solving a scalar wave equation in inhomogeneous media is developed. This method is an extension of the WKB method to the multidimensional case. It reduces a general wave equation to a set of ordinary differential equations similar to that of the eikonal approach and includes the latter as a particular case. However, the WKB method makes use of another kind of asymptotic expansion and, unlike the eikonal approach, describes the wave properties, i.e. diffraction and interference. At the same time, the three-dimensional WKB method is more simple for numerical treatment because the number of equations is less than in the eikonal approach. The method developed may be used for a calculation of wave fields in problems of RF heating, current drive and plasma diagnostics with microwave beams. (orig.)Available from TIB Hannover: RA 71(4/260) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman