The anomalous resonance absorption of electromagnetic waves as a phenomenon of radiative damping

Summary The well-known anomalous absorption of transverse electromagnetic waves near the resonance point of a plasma surface is described as a phenomenon of radiative damping of waves. Reflections from a sharp plasma surface and from smoothly inhomogenous plasma are considered separately. It is shown that during the reflection ofE-waves from the surface of a smoothly bounded inhomogeneous plasma, radiative damping occurs in the reflecting point as a result of longitudinal plasma waves emission and it is also shown that anomalous absorption of electromagnetic waves in the long-wavelength limit is significant as well as in the short wavelength.