Kinetic Theory of Particles and Photons

Many laboratory and astrophysical plasmas show deviations from local ther modynamic equilibrium (LTE). This monograph develops non-LTE plasma spectroscopy as a kinetic theory of particles and photons, considering the radiation field as a photon gas whose distribution function (the radiation in tensity) obeys a kinetic equation (the radiative transfer equation), just as the distribution functions of particles obey kinetic equations. Such a unified ap proach provides clear insight into the physics of non-LTE plasmas. Chapter 1 treats the principle of detailed balance, of central importance for understanding the non-LTE effects in plasmas. Chapters 2, 3 deal with kinetic equations of particles and photons, respectively, followed by a chapter on the fluid description of gases with radiative interactions. Chapter 5 is devoted to the H theorem, and closes the more general first part of the book. The last two chapters deal with more specific topics. After briefly discuss ing optically thin plasmas, Chap. 6 treats non-LTE line transfer by two-level atoms, the line profile coefficients of three-level atoms, and non-Maxwellian electron distribution functions. Chapter 7 discusses topics where momentum exchange between matter and radiation is crucial: the approach to thermal equilibrium through interaction with blackbody radiation, radiative forces, and Compton scattering. A number of appendices have been added to make the book self-contained and to treat more special questions. In particular, Appendix B contains an in troductory discussion of atomic line profile coefficients.

Texte du rabat

Many laboratory and astrophysical plasmas show deviations from local ther­ modynamic equilibrium (LTE). This monograph develops non-LTE plasma spectroscopy as a kinetic theory of particles and photons, considering the radiation field as a photon gas whose distribution function (the radiation in­ tensity) obeys a kinetic equation (the radiative transfer equation), just as the distribution functions of particles obey kinetic equations. Such a unified ap­ proach provides clear insight into the physics of non-LTE plasmas. Chapter 1 treats the principle of detailed balance, of central importance for understanding the non-LTE effects in plasmas. Chapters 2, 3 deal with kinetic equations of particles and photons, respectively, followed by a chapter on the fluid description of gases with radiative interactions. Chapter 5 is devoted to the H theorem, and closes the more general first part of the book. The last two chapters deal with more specific topics. After briefly discuss­ ing optically thin plasmas, Chap. 6 treats non-LTE line transfer by two-level atoms, the line profile coefficients of three-level atoms, and non-Maxwellian electron distribution functions. Chapter 7 discusses topics where momentum exchange between matter and radiation is crucial: the approach to thermal equilibrium through interaction with blackbody radiation, radiative forces, and Compton scattering. A number of appendices have been added to make the book self-contained and to treat more special questions. In particular, Appendix B contains an in­ troductory discussion of atomic line profile coefficients.

Contenu

1. Thermal Equilibrium and Detailed Balance.- 1.1 Introductory Remarks.- 1.2 The Principle of Detailed Balance.- 1.3 Proof of the Principle of Detailed Balance for a Special Case.- 1.4 Derivation of Thermal Distribution Functions from Detailed Balance.- 1.5 Validity of the Reciprocity Relation w(i?f)= w(f?i).- 1.6 Explicit Forms of the Reciprocity Relation w(i?f) = w(f?i).- 2. Kinetic Equations of Particles.- 2.1 Kinetic Equations.- 2.2 Elastic Collision Terms.- 2.3 Inelastic Collision Terms.- 2.4 Collision Terms Due to Radiative Processes.- 3. The Kinetic Equation of Photons.- 3.1 The Equation of Radiative Transfer.- 3.2 Emission and Absorption.- 3.3 Scattering.- 4. Moment Equations and Fluid Description.- 4.1. Moment Equations for Particles.- 4.2 Moment Equations for Photons.- 4.3 Fluid Description of a Gas.- 4.4 Fluid Description of a Gas with Radiative Interactions.- 5. H Theorem for Gases and Radiation.- 5.1 Entropy and Entropy Production.- 5.2 Proof of the H Theorem.- 6. Energy Exchange Between Matter and Radiation.- 6.1 General Remarks.- 6.2 Optically Thin Plasmas.- 6.3 Non-LTE Line Transfer by Two-Level Atoms (I): Basic Relations.- 6.4 Non-LTE Line Transfer by Two-Level Atoms (II): Results.- 6.5 Multilevel Atoms.- 6.6 Non-Maxwellian Electron Distribution Functions.- 7. Momentum Exchange Between Matter and Radiation.- 7.1 General Remarks.- 7.2 Approach to Thermal Equilibrium Through Interaction with Blackbody Radiation.- 7.3 Radiative Forces.- 7.4 Compton Scattering.- Appendices.- A. Transformation Formulas for Radiative Quantities.- B. Atomic Absorption and Emission Profiles.- C. The Boltzmann Equation.- D. Brownian Motion and Fokker-Planck Equation.- E. Reciprocity Relations for Inelastic Collisions with Heavy Particles.- F. Elastic Collision Term ofthe Standard Problem.- General Bibliography.- References.