Introduction to plasma physics : with space and laboratory applications

Title:

Personal Author:

Gurnett, Donald A.

Publication Information:

Cambridge, UK : Cambridge University Press, 2005

Physical Description:

x, 452 p. : ill. ; 26 cm.

ISBN:

9780521367301

Subject Term:

Plasma (Ionized gases)

Space plasmas

Added Author:

Bhattacharjee, A.

Available:*

Library	Item Barcode	Call Number	Material Type	Item Category 1	Status
Searching... PSZ JB	30000010195890	QC718 G87 2005	Open Access Book	Book	Searching... Unknown

The emphasis of this text is on basic plasma theory, with applications to both space and laboratory plasmas. All mathematical concepts beyond those normally covered in an advanced calculus course are fully explained. Topics covered include single-particle motions, kinetic theory, magnetohydrodynamics, small amplitude waves in both cold and hot plasmas, nonlinear phenomena and collisional effects. Applications include planetary magnetospheres and radiation belts, the confinement and stability of plasmas in fusion devices, the propagation of discontinuities and shock waves in the solar wind, and the analysis of various types of plasma waves and instabilities that can occur in planetary magnetospheres and laboratory plasma devices. This book is structured as a text for a one- or two-semester introductory course in plasma physics at the advanced undergraduate or first-year graduate level. It can also serve as a resource book on the basic principles of plasma physics.

Reviews 1

Choice Review

Gurnett (Univ. of Iowa) and Bhattacharjee (Univ. of New Hampshire) have prepared a rather complete course resource on the physics of plasmas, very suitable as a teaching aid. Well produced, with essential references and advice for supplemental reading, the book is illustrated with line drawings and has a fairly complete index. A close reading would provide a very good resource for senior undergraduates and graduate students. The appropriate mathematical emphasis means that a few lectures on experimental work and results might be an important addition to provide balance. Some observations, mostly from space instruments, are described. As expected from these authors, plasma instability is quite extensively treated, and about 150 pages are devoted to waves in plasmas. Besides being a course resource, the book forms a useful reference for working plasma physicists and can be recommended to both types of user. Some problems are provided at the end of each chapter. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals. K. W. Ogilvie NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

Preface	p. ix
1 Introduction	p. 1
2 Characteristic parameters of a plasma	p. 5
2.1 Number density and temperature	p. 5
2.2 Debye length	p. 7
2.3 Plasma frequency	p. 10
2.4 Cyclotron frequency	p. 12
2.5 Collision frequency	p. 13
2.6 Number of electrons per Debye cube	p. 15
2.7 The de Broglie wavelength and quantum effects	p. 17
2.8 Representative plasma parameters	p. 18
3 Single particle motions	p. 23
3.1 Motion in a static uniform magnetic field	p. 23
3.2 Motion in perpendicular electric and magnetic fields	p. 26
3.3 Gradient and curvature drifts	p. 32
3.4 Motion in a magnetic mirror field	p. 39
3.5 Motion in a time varying magnetic field	p. 45
3.6 Adiabatic invariants	p. 48
3.7 The Hamiltonian method	p. 60
3.8 Chaotic orbits	p. 68
4 Waves in a cold plasma	p. 75
4.1 Fourier representation of waves	p. 75
4.2 General form of the dispersion relation	p. 84
4.3 Waves in a cold uniform unmagnetized plasma	p. 87
4.4 Waves in a cold uniform magnetized plasma	p. 94
4.5 Ray paths in inhomogeneous plasmas	p. 127
5 Kinetic theory and the moment equations	p. 137
5.1 The distribution function	p. 137
5.2 The Boltzmann and Vlasov equations	p. 140
5.3 Solutions based on constants of the motion	p. 144
5.4 The moment equations	p. 146
5.5 Electron and ion pressure waves	p. 155
5.6 Collisional drag force	p. 162
5.7 Ambipolar diffusion	p. 166
6 Magnetohydrodynamics	p. 175
6.1 The basic equations of MHD	p. 175
6.2 Magnetic pressure	p. 183
6.3 Magnetic field convection and diffusion	p. 185
6.4 The energy equation	p. 192
6.5 Magnetohydrodynamic waves	p. 195
6.6 Static MHD equilibrium	p. 204
6.7 MHD stability	p. 219
6.8 Magnetic reconnection	p. 240
7 Discontinuities and shock waves	p. 251
7.1 The MHD jump conditions	p. 252
7.2 Classification of discontinuities	p. 255
7.3 Shock waves	p. 258
8 Electrostatic waves in a hot unmagnetized plasma	p. 281
8.1 The Vlasov approach	p. 281
8.2 The Landau approach	p. 290
8.3 The plasma dispersion function	p. 308
8.4 The dispersion relation for a multi-component plasma	p. 311
8.5 Stability	p. 318
9 Waves in a hot magnetized plasma	p. 341
9.1 Linearization of the Vlasov equation	p. 342
9.2 Electrostatic waves	p. 345
9.3 Electromagnetic waves	p. 367
10 Non-linear effects	p. 391
10.1 Quasi-linear theory	p. 391
10.2 Stationary non-linear electrostatic potentials	p. 406
11 Collisional processes	p. 415
11.1 Binary Coulomb collisions	p. 416
11.2 Importance of small-angle collisions	p. 417
11.3 The Fokker-Planck equation	p. 420
11.4 Conductivity of a fully ionized plasma	p. 427
11.5 Collision operator for Maxwellian distributions of electrons and ions	p. 431
Appendix A Symbols	p. 435
Appendix B Vector differential operators	p. 441
Appendix C Vector calculus identities	p. 443
Index	p. 445

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