Instabilities in Space and Laboratory Plasmas

D. B. Melrose (Author)

9780521379625, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 16 March 1989

296 pages
24.7 x 17.3 x 1.8 cm, 0.528 kg

'I recommend this book to every space physicist who deals with or is curious about plasma instabilities.' Eos

This book is an introductory account of instabilities in plasma. It concentrates on laboratory plasmas, such as those encountered in fusion research, and the space plasmas studied in physics of the magnetosphere and solar atmosphere. This account bridges the gap between a graduate textbook on plasma physics and specialist monographs. An important feature is the stress placed on the similarities between astrophysical and laboratory plasmas, which are traditionally regarded as quite separate. The natural way in which the author unifies the treatment gives a wider perspective to the subject. Professor Melrose is an expert in plasma astrophysics, and has already written a two-volume book on that topic.

Preface
Plasma formulary
Part I. Introduction To Plasma Theory: 1. Introduction
2. The response of an unmagnetized plasma
Part II. Instabilities In Unmagnetized Plasmas: 3. Reactive instabilities
4. Kinetic instabilities
5. Particle motions in waves
6. Weak turbulence theory
7. Nonlinear instabilities and strong turbulence
Part III. Collision-Dominated Magnetized Plasmas: 8. Magnetohydrodynamics
9. MHD instabilities
Part IV. Instabilities In Magnetized Collisionless Plasmas: 10. Dispersion in a magnetized plasma
11. Electron cyclotron maser emission
12. Instabilities in warm and in inhomogeneous plasmas
13. Instabilities due to anisotropic fast particles
Appendices
Bibliographical notes
References
List of commonly used symbols
Author index
Subject index.

Subject Areas: Plasma physics [PHFP]