Plasma I
Summary
Following an introduction of the main plasma properties, the fundamental concepts of the fluid and kinetic theory of plasmas are introduced. Applications concerning laboratory, space, and astrophysical plasmas are discussed throughout the course.
Content
I Collisional and relaxation phenomena
- Inelastic collisions: ionization and recombination, degree of ionization
- Elastic collisions: Coulomb collisions
- Isotropisation and thermalisation
- Plasma resistivity and the runaway regime
II Transport in plasmas
- Random walk and diffusion
- Ambipolar and cross-field diffusion
- Energy and particle confinement
III Waves in cold magnetized plasma
- Dielectric tensor
- Resonances and cut-offs
- Parallel and perpendicular propagation
IV Wave-particle interaction and kinetic description of waves in hot
un-magnetized plasmas
- The Vlasov-Maxwell model
- Resonant wave-particle interaction and Landau damping
- Stability criteria and streaming instabilities
- Langmuir and ion-acoustic waves and instabilities
V Waves in hot magnetized plasmas
VI Examples of nonlinear effects
Learning Prerequisites
Recommended courses
PHYS-324: Classical Electrodynamics, PHYS-325: Introduction to Plasma Physics
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, the student must be able to:
- Manipulate the fundamental elements of the plasma fluid and kinetic theory
Teaching methods
Ex cathedra and exercises in class
Assessment methods
oral exam
In the programs
- Semester: Fall
- Exam form: Oral (winter session)
- Subject examined: Plasma I
- Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Exercises: 3 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Type: optional
- Semester: Fall
- Exam form: Oral (winter session)
- Subject examined: Plasma I
- Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Exercises: 3 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Type: optional
- Semester: Fall
- Exam form: Oral (winter session)
- Subject examined: Plasma I
- Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Exercises: 3 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Type: optional
- Semester: Fall
- Exam form: Oral (winter session)
- Subject examined: Plasma I
- Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Exercises: 3 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Type: optional
- Semester: Fall
- Exam form: Oral (winter session)
- Subject examined: Plasma I
- Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Exercises: 3 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Type: optional
- Semester: Fall
- Exam form: Oral (winter session)
- Subject examined: Plasma I
- Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Exercises: 3 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Type: optional