Introduction to Plasma Physics

Lecturer:

Tutor:

Supervisor:

Department of Physics

Synopsis:

Classification of plasmas. Criteria for plasma. Single particle motion. Plasmas as fluids. Single-fluid magnetohydrodynamics. Boltzmann-Vlasov equation.

Requirements:

The students should be well prepared in basic physics, calculus, vector algebra, series and ordinary differential equations.

Syllabus of lectures:

1. Plasma in nature, in the laboratory and in industry.

2. Classification of electrical discharges, introduction to theory of electrical discharges.

3. Criteria for plasma. Different models of plasma. Elementary processes in plasma.

4. Single particle motion - particle drift in uniform and stationary fields.

5. Single particle motion - particle drift in non-uniform fields.

6. Single particle motion - particle drift in non-stationary fields.

7. Plasma as an anisotropic medium.

8. Plasmas as fluids, equation of state, continuity equation and momentum balance equation.

9. Diffusion, mobility, ambipolar diffusion.

10.Diffusion across magnetic field.

11.Plasma resistivity.

12.Single-fluid magnetohydrodynamics.

13.Introduction to kinetic theory, Boltmann-Vlasov equation.

Syllabus of tutorials:

Study Objective:

To give the general insight into the plasma physics, applications of plasma physics and different models of plasma. The course emphasizes relations between microscopic and macroscopic description of plasma.

Study materials:

1. A. Fridman, L.A. Kennedy, Plasma Physics and Engineering, Taylor&Francis, New York, 2004

2. R.J.Goldston, P.H.Rutherford, Introduction to Plasma Physics, IOP Bristol, 1995

3. F.F. Chen, Introduction to Plasma Physics, Plenum Press, New York, 1974

Note:

Further information:

No time-table has been prepared for this course

The course is a part of the following study plans: