An Introduction to Plasma Astrophysics and Magnetohydrodynamics

by Goossens, Marcel

• ISBN13: 9781402014338
• ISBN10: 1402014333
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-08-01
• Publisher: Kluwer Academic Pub

Summary

Most of the visible matter in the universe exists in the plasma state. Plasmas are of major importance for space physics, solar physics, and astrophysics. On Earth they are essential for magnetic controlled thermonuclear fusion. This textbook collects lecture notes from a one-semester course taught at the K.U. Leuven to advanced undergraduate students in applied mathematics and physics. A particular strength of this book is that it provides a low threshold introduction to plasmas with an emphasis on first principles and fundamental concepts and properties. The discussion of plasma models is to a large extent limited to Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) with its merits and limitations clearly explained. MHD provides the students on their first encounter with plasmas, with a powerful plasma model that they can link to familiar classic fluid dynamics. The solar wind is studied as an example of hydrodynamics and MHD at work in solar physics and astrophysics.

Table of Contents

Preface	vii
1 Introduction	1	(14)
1.1 Plasma as the fourth state of matter	1	(1)
1.2 Plasmas and magnetic fields	2	(1)
1.3 Why plasma physics	3	(7)
1.4 Aim of the course	10	(5)
2 Basic plasma properties	15	(44)
2.1 Elements of plasma kinetic theory	15	(9)
2.2 Plasma oscillations: the plasma frequency	24	(4)
2.3 The Debye shielding length	28	(3)
2.4 Charge neutrality again	31	(2)
2.5 Weakly coupled plasmas	33	(2)
2.6 Damping of plasma oscillations	35	(1)
2.7 Collisions	36	(10)
2.8 Larmor frequency and Larmor radius	46	(6)
2.9 Recapitulation	52	(2)
2.10 Problems	54	(5)
3 Fluid equations for mass, momentum and energy	59	(30)
3.1 Multi-fluid theory	60	(9)
3.2 Two-fluid theory	69	(3)
3.3 Single-fluid equations	72	(9)
3.4 Recapitulation	81	(2)
3.5 Problems	83	(6)
4 Magnetohydrodynamics	89	(38)
4.1 Generalized Ohm's law	90	(4)
4.2 The MHD approximation of Ohm's law	94	(7)
4.3 The pre-Maxwell equations	101	(1)
4.4 Equations of Ideal and resistive MHD	102	(7)
4.5 The induction equation and conservation of magnetic flux	109	(2)
4.6 The diffusive limit of the induction equation	111	(3)
4.7 Magnetic field lines	114	(5)
4.8 The Lorentz force	119	(2)
4.9 Recapitulation	121	(1)
4.10 Problems	122	(5)
5 Basic MHD dynamics	127	(34)
5.1 Linear motions superimposed on a static equilibrium	127	(5)
5.2 Waves of a uniform plasma of infinite extent	132	(1)
5.3 Sound waves	133	(1)
5.4 Alfvén waves	134	(3)
5.5 Alfvén waves and slow waves	137	(1)
5.6 Alfvén waves and magnetosonic waves	138	(15)
5.7 Recapitulation	153	(2)
5.8 Problems	155	(6)
6 The solar wind	161
6.1 Overview of observations	161	(5)
6.2 Alternatives to the energy equation	166	(1)
6.3 Static models	167	(3)
6.4 de Laval nozzle	170	(4)
6.5 Parker's isothermal solution for a thermally driven wind	174	(7)
6.6 Rotating thermally driven wind	181	(5)
6.7 Rotating magnetized thermally driven wind	186	(11)
6.8 Recapitulation	197	(2)
6.9 Problems	199