Introduction to Plasma PhysicsThis book grew out of lecture notes for an undergraduate course in plasma physics that has been offered for a number of years at UCLA. With the current increase in interest in controlled fusion and the wide spread use of plasma physics in space research and relativistic as trophysics, it makes sense for the study of plasmas to become a part of an undergraduate student's basic experience, along with subjects like thermodynamics or quantum mechanics. Although the primary purpose of this book was to fulfill a need for a text that seniors or juniors can really understand, I hope it can also serve as a painless way for scientists in other fields-solid state or laser physics, for instance to become acquainted with plasmas. Two guiding principles were followed: Do not leave algebraic steps as an exercise for the reader, and do not let the algebra obscure the physics. The extent to which these opposing aims could be met is largely due to the treatment of a plasma as two interpenetrating fluids. The two-fluid picture is both easier to understand and more accurate than the single-fluid approach, at least for low-density plasma phe nomena. |
Contents
INTRODUCTION | 1 |
SINGLEPARTICLE MOTIONS | 17 |
PLASMAS AS FLUIDS | 45 |
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0-pinch Alfvén wave amplitude atoms average axis B₁ beam c²k² Chapter Five Chapter Four charge cm³ COIL collisions component confinement constant Controlled Fusion curve cutoff cyclotron Debye shielding decay diamagnetic Diffusion and Resistivity direction dispersion relation drift E₁ electric field electrostatic energy equation of continuity equation of motion equilibrium FIGURE finite frequency function geometry gradient guiding center gyration heating instability integral Introduction to Kinetic ion wave ions and electrons Kinetic Theory Landau damping Larmor laser Lawson criterion linear lines of force magnetic field magnetic mirror Maxwellian distribution moving n₁ neutral orbit particles perpendicular phase velocity plane plasma density plasma oscillations plasma physics plasma waves Poisson's equation potential problem propagating radius region resonance Section sheath shows temperature term thermal tokamak toroidal torus trapped v₁ w₁ Waves in Plasmas zero ωρ