Wave Propagation in a Plasma Based on the Cold Plasma Model (Classic Reprint)

Harold Weitzner

ISBN 10: 1333172818 / ISBN 13: 9781333172817

Published by Forgotten Books, 2018

About this Item

Print on Demand. This book delves into the complex world of wave propagation in plasmas, a topic that has fascinated scientists since the study of radio waves in the ionosphere. The author goes beyond the common approximations used in this field, such as geometric optics and plane stratified medium models, to examine the fundamental equations governing wave behavior in a cold plasma. The book uses electromagnetic potentials to formulate the problem, resulting in a sixth-order system of partial differential equations. These equations reveal intriguing properties of wave propagation in plasmas, including transitions from elliptic to hyperbolic behavior at key resonance surfaces like the lower and upper hybrid resonances, and at the ion and electron cyclotron resonances. These transitions, which are uncommon in other areas of physics, highlight the unique nature of waves in plasmas. The author also explores the implications of these transitions for energy absorption and heating within the plasma. The book then delves into the specific case of wave propagation in axisymmetric plasmas, simplifying the problem to a fourth-order system. This investigation into the axisymmetric equilibrium case allows the author to explore wave propagation at frequencies near both the ion cyclotron frequency and the ion plasma frequency. The book concludes with an in-depth analysis of wave propagation near the lower hybrid resonance surface. The author distinguishes between two scenarios: one where the resonance surfaces coincide with flux surfaces, leading to heating along the entire resonance surface, and another where they do not coincide, resulting in heating only at points of tangency between the surfaces. This book provides a rigorous exploration of wave propagation in plasmas, offering a deeper understanding of the complex phenomena at play and providing valuable insights for the field of plasma physics. This book is a reproduction of an important historical work, digitally reconstructed using state-of-the-art technology to preserve the original format. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in the book.

Seller Inventory # 9781333172817_0

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Wave Propagation in a Plasma Based on the Cold Plasma Model (Classic Reprint)
• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication Date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1333172818
• ISBN 13: 9781333172817
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: New
• Book Type: print-on-demand item
• Seller catalogs:
  • Physics

About this title

Synopsis

Understand how waves move and heat a plasma, with a clear look at the cold plasma model in action.

This book explains, with careful math and reasoning, how Maxwell’s equations interact with a conductivity tensor to describe wave behavior in plasmas. It focuses on axisymmetric setups and key frequency ranges, showing where the standard model works and where it breaks down.

Two detailed explorations show how different resonances and surface transitions affect wave propagation. The discussion covers ion cyclotron and ion plasma frequencies, lower hybrid frequencies, and how energy absorption can occur near resonance or flux surfaces. It also introduces variational principles and a self-adjoint formulation that help frame the problem for computation and deeper understanding.

• See how the cold plasma model is applied to real devices like mirror machines and Tokamaks.
• Learn about elliptic, hyperbolic, and mixed-type behavior and where transitions happen.
• Find out what resonance surfaces and flux surfaces imply for heating and wave patterns.
• Discover the role of variational principles in deriving and solving the governing equations.

Ideal for readers of advanced plasma physics and engineering, especially those exploring wave heating and modeling in laboratory plasmas.