Plasma Waves and Instabilities

Lecturer:

Petr Kulhánek (gar.)

Tutor:

Petr Kulhánek (gar.)

Supervisor:

Department of Physics

Synopsis:

Basic wave phenomena will be introduced in the first part of the lecture (dispersion relation, phase and group velocities, Fourier analysis). Fundamental plasma dispersion relations will be derived from the linearized MHD equations (magnetoacoustic waves - Alfven, F and S wave; electromagnetic waves in plasma - O, X, R, L wave, CMA diagram). The second part of the lecture will be devoted to final size waves, nonlinear phenomena (Landau damping) and solitons in plasma.

Requirements:

Theoretical Physics 1

Syllabus of lectures:

1.Sound in hydrodynamics.

2.MHD equations.

3.Low frequency wave complex, megnetoacoustic waves

4.High frequency wave complex. Plasma oscillations and waves

5.Resonant and cutoff frequencies.

6.CMA diagram

7.Finit amplitude phenomena, Hartman solution.

8.Basic instabilities in plasma.

9.Instabilities of current filament.

10.Other instabilities

11.Magnetic reconnection, alpha effect.

12.Nonlinear phenomena

13.Landau damping

14.Solitons

Syllabus of tutorials:

dimensional analysis

linearization of equations

Fourier transformation

disperse relation

phase and group velocity calculation

cutoff and resonant frequency calculation

instabilities in dispersion relation

boundary condotions

KdV equation

nonlinear phenomena

Study Objective:

Basics of plasma physics and linear wave theory.

Study materials:

[1] P. Kulhánek: Vlny a nestability v plazmatu, ČVUT, 2004, http://www.aldebaran.cz/studium/plasma.pdf

[2] E. M. Lifshitz, et al.: Course in theoretical Physics 8: Electrodynamics of Continuous Media, Elsewier Science, 2004

Note:

Time-table for winter semester 2011/2012:

Time-table is not available yet

Time-table for summer semester 2011/2012:

	06:00–08:0008:00–10:0010:00–12:0012:00–14:0014:00–16:0016:00–18:0018:00–20:0020:00–22:0022:00–24:00
Mon
Tue
Fri
Thu	roomT2:C2-81 Kulhánek P. 09:15–11:45 (lecture parallel1) Dejvice Cvičebna K102roomT2:C2-81 Kulhánek P. 11:45–12:30 (lecture parallel1 parallel nr.101) Dejvice Cvičebna K102
Fri

The course is a part of the following study plans:

• Doctoral studies, daily studies (compulsory elective course)
• Doctoral studies, combined studies (compulsory elective course)
• Doctoral studies, structured daily studies (compulsory elective course)
• Doctoral studies, structured combined studies (compulsory elective course)