ECG 733 Plasma I
CATALOG DATA
Single particle motion; adiabatic invariants; plasmas as fluids; waves in plasmas; diffusion;
resistivity; introduction to kinetic theory; Landau damping
PREREQUISITE
Prerequisites: EE 330 or consent of instructor.
TEXTBOOK(s)
Text: J.A. Bittencourt, Fundamentals of Plasma Physics, 3ed. Springer, 2004.
References:
1. S. Chandrasekhar, Plasma Physics, The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1960.
2. Dwight Nicholson, Introduction to Plasma Theory, Krieger Publishing, Malabar, Florida,
1983.
3. Brian Chapman, Glow Discharge Processes, John Wiley, New York, 1980.
4. D.C. Montgomery and D.A. Tidman, Plasma Kinetic Theory, McGraw Hill, 1964.
5. Kenro Miyamoto, Plasma Physics for Nuclear Fusion, MIT Press, Cambridge, 1976.
6. Thomas H. Stix, Waves in Plasmas, American Institute of Physics, New York, 1992.
7. S.R. Seshadri, Fundamentals of Plasma Physics, Elsevier, New York, 1973.
8. Juda Leon Shohet, The Plasma State, Academic Press, New York, 1971.
9. F.F. Chen, Introduction to Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, vol. 1, 2 ed. Plenum
Press, 1984.
10. Paul M Bellan, Fundamentals of Plasma Physics, Cambridge University Press, 2006.
COORDINATOR (pls. list all faculty who have/would instruct this course)
Professor Robert A. Schill, Jr.
PREREQUISITE BY TOPIC
1. Engineering Electromagnetics I
TOPICS*
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General Properties of Plasmas
 Definition of a plasma
 Concept of temperature
 Debye shielding
 Criteria for plasma
 Applications
Single particle motions in various fields
 Uniform E and B fields
 Nonuniform E and B fields
 Time-varying E and B fields
 Adiabatic invariants
Elements of Plasma Kinetic Theory
 Phase space
 Velocity (Momentum) distribution function
 Boltzmann equation
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 Equilibrium state of the distribution function
 Properties of Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution function
 Relaxation model for collision term
Average values and Macroscopic Variables
 Average value of a physical quantity
 Average and peculiar velocity
 Flux
 Particle current density
Macroscopic Transport Equations
 General transport equation
 Conservation of mass
 Conservation of momentum
 Momentum flow dyad or tensor
 Pressure dyad or tensor
 Conservation of energy
 Heat flow vector
 Heat flow triad
 Total energy flux triad
 Plasma models
Macroscopic Equations for Conducting Fluid
 Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) Equations
Plasma Conductivity and Diffusion
 Langevin Equation
 Electron mobility
 Electron diffusion in a magnetic field
 Ambipolar diffusion
 Diffusion in a fully ionized plasma
Simple Applications of Magnetohydrodynamics (Optional)
The Pinch Effect (Optional)
Waves in a Plasma
COURSE OUTCOMES
Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
 Identify if an ionized gas is a plasma
 Conceptually and analytically apply the macroscopic transport equations to a plasma
system
 Analytically model the properties of the plasma in terms of its diffusion and mobility
properties
 Approximate the single particle nature of a plasma in various field configurations
 Describe the simple kinetic properties and wave properties of the plasma
COMPUTER USAGE
MATLAB minimal.
GRADING
Homework assignments; One midterm; One final exam.
COURSE PREPARER AND DATE OF PREPARATION
Robert A. Schill, Jr., Last update date November 14, 2012