Distortion of an electromagnetic pulse carrier propagating in an anisotropic homogeneous plasma

Transient signal propagation in anisotropic, homogeneous cold plasmas is considered. The anisotropy is caused by an external longitudinal magnetic field. Using the saddlepoint method of integration, an approximate expression for the electric field is obtained. The envelope of a distorted rectangular pulse carrier is plotted for various magnetic fields, including the isotropic case.