This authoritative text on plasma behavior in diverse astrophysical contexts combines classical and contemporary theory to show how fundamental principles in electromagnetism, hydrodynamics, and quantum mechanics find expression in plasma physics.

This book presents the fundamental concepts of the theory, illustrated by numerous examples of astrophysical applications. Classical concepts are combined with new developments and the authors demarcate what is well established and what is still under debate. To book illustrates how apparently complicated phenomena can be addressed and understood using well-known physical principles and equations within appropriate approximations and simplifications. For this purpose, a number of astrophysical examples are considered in greater detail than what is normally presented in a regular textbook. In particular, a number of nonlinear self-consistent models are considered, which is motivated by the latest observational data and modern theory.

Naturally illustrates the fundamental plasma physics laws by applying these to diverse astrophysical applications Offers more distinct levels of problems and worked out examples than competing textbooks Combines classical concepts with most up-to-date developments Offers complete nonlinear self-consistent models of astrophysical phenomena Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Autorentext

Gregory D. Fleishman is a Research Professor of Physics at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He is connected to the Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research which operates the Big Bear Solar Observatory in California. He has published 65 research aticles in refereed journals. Igor N. Toptygin is professor at Saint-Petersburg State Polytechnical University in Russia. He has published 52 research papers in English-language refereed journals.

Klappentext

This volume offers a deep and detailed overview of plasma behavior in diverse astrophysical conditions. The presentation is based on a solid science foundation that includes well established physical laws of electromagnetism, hydrodynamics, classical and quantum mechanics and other relevant fields of science. Qualitative ideas and descriptions are followed by quantitative derivations and estimates of key physical quantities, and the results of theories and models are confronted with modern observational data obtained from numerous international science programs. Fundamental astrophysical phenomena, such as charged particle acceleration and magnetic field generation, are presented along with spectacular phenomena, such as stellar winds (including ultra-relativistic pulsar wind), supernova explosions and evolution of its remnants, and solar flares.

Inhalt
Magnetohydrodynamics of the Cosmic Plasma.- Non-Linear MHD Waves and Discontinuities.- Instability of MHD motion and MHD turbulence.- Generation of magnetic field.- Plasma Dispersion.- Linear modes in the plasma.- Weak Turbulence and Magnetic Reconnection.- Wave-Particle Interactions.- Particle Transport.- Particle Acceleration.- Generation of linear modes by given electric current.- Microscopic Emission Processes in the Plasma.- Transport of Radiation.- Self-consistent models of astrophysical objects.