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.
Sprache
Verlagsgruppe
Cambridge University Press (Virtual Publishing)
Zielgruppe
ISBN-13
978-0-511-56412-3 (9780511564123)
Schweitzer Klassifikation
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.
