Principles of plasma physics

Lecturer:

Jiří Limpouch (gar.)

Tutor:

Jiří Limpouch (gar.)

Supervisor:

Department of Physical Electronics

Synopsis:

Basic physics of high temperature plasmas is explained using particle, kinetic and fluid approaches. It includes drift motions and adiabatic invariants, linear theory of waves in plasmas and propagation of electromagnetic waves in inhomogeneous plasmas. Basic non-linear effects, such as ponderomotive force, self-focusing and parametric instabilities are explained. It comprises brief introduction into magnetohydrodynamics and nuclear fusion. Fokker-Planck collision term is derived. Basics of atomic physics od multiply-ionized plasmas are introduced.

Requirements:

Syllabus of lectures:

1.Plasma definition; Debye screening, plasma parameter, plasma frequency, collisions of charged particles, Landau length, Coulomb logarithm, collective behavior, ideal and non-ideal plasma, weakly and strongly coupled plasmas

2.Motion of charged particles in external fields

3.Adiabatic invariants, ponderomotive force

4.Principles of kinetic theory, Klimontovich equation, Vlasov equation, Krook collision term

5.Plasma as dielectric medium, temporal and spatial dispersion; two-fluid hydrodynamics

6.Plasma oscillations, plasma waves in fluid and kinetic description, Landau damping, wave energy

7.Bernstein-Greene-Kruskal modes, plasma waves in magnetic field

8.Principles of Particle-in-Cell simulations

9.Ion sound waves; electromagnetic waves in plasma, 10.Non-linear propagation of waves, relativistic, ponderomotive and thermal non-linearity, self-focusing and filamentation

11.Propagation of electromagnetic waves in magnetoactive plasmas

12.Parametric instabilities

13.One fluid approximation, ideal and non-ideal magnetohydrodynamics, hydromagnetic equilibrium, Rayleigh-Taylor and Kruskal-Schwartzschild instabilities

14.Diffusion in weakly and strongly ionized plasmas, 15.Introduction into atomic physics of plasmas, collisional and radiative processes, principle of detail balancing

16.Local thermodynamic equilibrium, coronal equilibrium, radiation from plasmas

17.Nuclear fusion, fusion reactions, Lawson criterion, magnetic confinement, pinch effect, inertial confinement

18.Kinetic theory, approximations leading to Fokker-Planck collision term

19.Examples of solution of Fokker-Planck equation

Syllabus of tutorials:

1.Debye screening, Debye length, plasma parameter, plasma frequency, collisions of charged particles, Landau length, Coulomb logarithm

2. Vlasov equation, Krook collision term, deriívation of two-fluid hydrodynamics, diamagnetic drift

3.Plasma oscillations, plasma waves in fluid and kinetic description, Landau damping, wave energy

4. Demonstration using PIC code ES1 = plasma waves, Landau damping, two-stream instability

5.Ion sound waves; electromagnetic waves in plasma, critical density, wave propagation in planar plasma

6.One fluid approximation, ideal and non-ideal magnetohydrodynamics, hydromagnetic equilibrium, Rayleigh-Taylor and Kruskal-Schwartzschild instabilities

7.Diffusion in weakly and strongly ionized plasmas, ambipolar diffusion, plasma-wall interaction, sheath, Bohm criterion, 8.Introduction into atomic physics of plasmas, multiply-charged ions, excitation and autoionization states, collisional and radiative processes, oscillator strength, direct and inverse processes, principle of detail balancing

Study Objective:

Knowledge:

Overview and the basic principles of plasma physics and in particular of high-temperature plasmas, physical processes in this plasmas and their theoretical description.

Skills:

Understanding the basic plasma properties and methods of plasma description and being able to apply them.

Study materials:

Key references:

[1] F.F. Chen, Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, 2nd ed., Plenum Press, 1984

Recommended references:

[2] D.R. Nicholson, Introduction to Plasma Theory, J. Wiley 1983

[3] T.J.M. Boyd, J.J. Sanderson, The Physics of Plasma, Cambridge University Press 2003

[4] W. L. Kruer, The Physics of Laser Plasma Interactions, Addison-Wesley, 1988

Note:

Time-table for winter semester 2011/2012:

Time-table is not available yet

Time-table for summer semester 2011/2012:

Time-table is not available yet

The course is a part of the following study plans:

• FNSPE Prospectus BC level (!)