Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- Preface
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Characteristic Parameters of a Plasma
- 3 Single-Particle Motions
- 4 Waves in a Cold Plasma
- 5 Kinetic Theory and the Moment Equations
- 6 Magnetohydrodynamics
- 7 MHD Equilibria and Stability
- 8 Discontinuities and Shock Waves
- 9 Electrostatic Waves in a Hot Unmagnetized Plasma
- 10 Waves in a Hot Magnetized Plasma
- 11 Nonlinear Effects
- 12 Collisional Processes
- Appendix A Symbols
- Appendix B Useful Trigonometric Identities
- Appendix C Vector Differential Operators
- Appendix D Vector Calculus Identities
- Index
- References
2 - Characteristic Parameters of a Plasma
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 16 March 2017
Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- Preface
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Characteristic Parameters of a Plasma
- 3 Single-Particle Motions
- 4 Waves in a Cold Plasma
- 5 Kinetic Theory and the Moment Equations
- 6 Magnetohydrodynamics
- 7 MHD Equilibria and Stability
- 8 Discontinuities and Shock Waves
- 9 Electrostatic Waves in a Hot Unmagnetized Plasma
- 10 Waves in a Hot Magnetized Plasma
- 11 Nonlinear Effects
- 12 Collisional Processes
- Appendix A Symbols
- Appendix B Useful Trigonometric Identities
- Appendix C Vector Differential Operators
- Appendix D Vector Calculus Identities
- Index
- References
Summary
The basic parameters of a plasma are introduced. Typically a plasma consists of electrons and one or more species of positively charged ions. The first and most important characteristics a plasma are of the number density and temperature of each species present in the plasma. From these basic characteristics a number of fundamental parameters of a plasma are derived. These consist of the Debye length, the electron and ion plasma frequencies, the electron and ion cyclotron frequencies, and the number of electrons per Debye cube. The number of particles per Debye cube, ND, provides the basic distinction between plasmas and metals, for example. Plasmas always have ND >> 1, whereas metals always have ND << 1. Quantum effects are also briefly discussed, which mainly occur at very low temperatures and high densities.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Introduction to Plasma PhysicsWith Space, Laboratory and Astrophysical Applications, pp. 4 - 21Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2017
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