Nonlinear Phenomena in the Radiation from Plasmas

Nonlinearity is omnipresent in nature and in laboratory experiments. The overturning of a wave coming towards a beach is an example of the nonlinearity in nature that many people see. An ubiquitous example of man-made nonlinearity is electric circuits: as the current heats the wire, its resistance changes, meaning that the linear Ohm's law is no longer valid. The radiation from plasmas is no exception. The nonlinear phenomena in the radiation from plasmas are fundamentally important because of the rich physics behind these phenomena. They are also practically important because the most informative way to study laboratory and astrophysical plasmas is by analysing their radiation.

These nonlinear phenomena constitute the subject of this comprehensive book. First, the book covers various nonlinear phenomena occurring in plasmas containing quasimonochromic electric fields. The quasimonochromic electric fields in plasmas can be intrinsic (such as Langmuir waves) or extrinsic (such as laser radiation penetrating into the plasma). Second, the book covers nonlinear phenomena manifesting in the Stark broadening of spectral lines by dynamic plasma electrons or ions. Many theoretical results presented in the book are counterintuitive, and are illustrated by numerous two-dimensional and three-dimensional plots. The book also describes various applications of the theoretical results for areas of diagnostics for laboratory and astrophysical plasmas, including laser-plasma interactions and plasma devices for magnetically controlled thermonuclear fusion.