The framework of plasma physics

Author(s)

Bibliographic Information

The framework of plasma physics

Richard D. Hazeltine and François L. Waelbroeck

(Frontiers in physics, v. 100)

Perseus Books, c1998

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Note

"The Advanced Book Program."

Includes bibliographical references (p. 323-328) and index

Description and Table of Contents

Description

This book provides the scientific background for understanding the scientific and technological applications of plasma physics, but it emphasizes something else: the intrinsic scientific interest of the plasma state. It attempts to develop an understanding of this state, and of plasma behavior, as thoroughly and systematically as possible. Building its explanations from carefully identified physical laws, the book avoids the occasional tendency of plasma texts to present the subject in terms of a collection of ad hoc recipes. In particular, the book emphasizes the relation between the various conceptual tools used to describe plasma (such as MHD and the Vlasov equation) and their common origin in laws of nature. }Plasma physics is a necessary part of our understanding of stellar and galactic structure; it determines the magnetospheric environment of the earth and other planets; it forms the research frontier in such areas as nuclear fusion, advanced accelerators, and high frequency lasers; and its applications to various industrial processes (such as computer chip manufacture) are rapidly increasing. Thus, it is a subject with a long list of scientific and technological applications.This book provides the scientific background for understanding such applications, but it emphasizes something else: the intrinsic scientific interest of the plasma state. It attempts to develop an understanding of this state, and of plasma behavior, as thoroughly and systematically as possible. Building its explanations from carefully identified physical laws, the book avoids the occasional tendency of plasma texts to present the subject in terms of a collection of ad hoc recipes. In particular, the book emphasizes the relation between the various conceptual tools used to describe plasma (such as MHD and the Vlasov equation) and their common origin in laws of nature.Thus plasma physics is displayed as a discipline that responds to certain scientific challenges in a coherent and comprehensible way. It is a discipline with a lengthening list of scientific accomplishments, a perhaps larger list of remaining mysteries, and a characteristic point of view. The book was written with the graduate student in mind, but most of the material would also fit into an upper-level undergraduate course. }

Table of Contents

  • Foreword by David Pines
  • The Nature of Plasma
  • Charged Particle Motion
  • Fluid Description of a Plasma
  • The Cold Plasma Model and Waves
  • MHD and the Drift Model
  • Vlasov Description of a Plasma
  • Binary Collisions
  • Collisional Transport
  • Turbulent Transport.

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Details

  • NCID
    BA41159658
  • ISBN
    • 0738200476
  • LCCN
    98086940
  • Country Code
    us
  • Title Language Code
    eng
  • Text Language Code
    eng
  • Place of Publication
    Reading, Mass.
  • Pages/Volumes
    xvi, 336 p.
  • Size
    24 cm
  • Classification
  • Subject Headings
  • Parent Bibliography ID
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