  Interaction of an intense electromagnetic (EM) beam with hot relativistic
plasma is investigated. It is shown that the thermal pressure brings about a
fundamental change in the dynamics - localized, high amplitude, EM field
structures, not accessible to a cold (but relativisic) plasma, can now be
formed under well- defined conditions. Examples of the trapping of EM beams in
self-guiding regimes to form stable 2D solitonic structures in a pure e-p
plasma are worked out.
