ABSTRACT
Introduction to Plasma Physics is the standard text for an introductory lecture course on plasma physics. The text's six sections lead readers systematically and comprehensively through the fundamentals of modern plasma physics. Sections on single-particle motion, plasmas as fluids, and collisional processes in plasmas lay the groundwork for a thorough understanding of the subject. The authors take care to place the material in its historical context for a rich understanding of the ideas presented. They also emphasize the importance of medical imaging in radiotherapy, providing a logical link to more advanced works in the area. The text includes problems, tables, and illustrations as well as a thorough index and a complete list of references.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
chapter Chapter 1|18 pages
Introduction to plasmas
part UNIT 1|64 pages
SINGLE-PARTICLE MOTION
chapter Chapter 2|8 pages
Particle drifts in uniform fields
chapter Chapter 3|20 pages
Particle drifts In non-uniform magnetic fields
chapter Chapter 4|20 pages
Particle drifts in time-dependent fields
chapter Chapter 5|14 pages
Mappings
part UNIT 2|62 pages
PLASMAS AS FLUIDS
chapter Chapter 6|12 pages
Fluid equations for a plasma
chapter Chapter 7|18 pages
Relation between fluid equations and guiding-center drifts
chapter Chapter 8|14 pages
Single-fluid magnetohydrodynamics
chapter Chapter 9|16 pages
Magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium
part UNIT 3|102 pages
COLLISIONAL PROCESSES IN PLASMAS
chapter Chapter 10|18 pages
Fully and partially ionized plasmas
chapter Chapter 11|20 pages
Collisions in fully ionized plasmas
chapter Chapter 12|34 pages
Diffusion in plasmas
chapter Chapter 13|10 pages
The Fokker-Planck equation for Coulomb collisions*
chapter Chapter 14|18 pages
Collisions of fast ions in a plasma*
part UNIT 4|62 pages
WAVES IN A FLUID PLASMA
chapter Chapter 15|8 pages
Basic concepts of small-amplitude waves in anisotropic dispersive media
chapter Chapter 16|12 pages
Waves in an unmagnetized plasma
chapter Chapter 17|16 pages
High-frequency waves in a magnetized plasma
chapter Chapter 18|24 pages
Low-frequency waves in a magnetized plasma
part UNIT 5|76 pages
INSTABILITIES IN A FLUID PLASMA
chapter Chapter 19|26 pages
The Rayleigh-Taylor and flute instabilities
chapter Chapter 20|26 pages
The resistive tearing instability*
chapter Chapter 21|22 pages
Drift waves and instabilities*
part UNIT 6|85 pages
KINETIC THEORY OF PLASMAS