Overview

ESS576 -- AA 556

Space and Laboratory Plasma Physics

Last updated: 2/2/09 10:17 AM

Instructor: Prof. Robert Holzworth

Earth & Space Sciences

263 Johnson Hall

206 685 7410, bobholz@washington.edu

Winter 2009 M W 11:30 – 12:30 p in 127 JHN

This course will cover Plasma Waves for lab and space plasma applications. We start with the fluid equations (derived in ESS415/515 and AA405) and derive dispersion relationships for several wave modes. We then go back to the distribution function (with a review for the AA405 students) and derive Landau damping and growth along with a discussion of equilibrium and stability. We finish with a series of discussions about off angle wave propagation modes and mode coupling for a whole zoo of plasma waves.

References:

Nicholson, Dwight R, Introduction to Plasma Theory, Wiley, 1983 or 1995.

Kivelson, Margaret G. and Christopher T. Russell, Introduction to Space Physics, Cambridge Univ. Press., 1995; esp. Chapter 12 by Goertz and Strangeway.

Krall, Nicholas A. and Alvin W. Trivelpiece, Principles of Plasma Physics, McGraw-Hill, 1973.

Chen, Francis F., Intro. to Plasma Physics and controlled Fusion, Ed. 2, Plenum, 1984.

Stix, Thomas H., Waves in Plasmas, AIP, New York, 1992.

Boyd, T.J.M. and J. J. Sanderson, The Physics of Plasmas, Cambridge Univ. Press, 2003.

Expectations: This is a course for the advanced graduate student who is preparing for a career in space or laboratory plasma physics. There will be regular weekly problem sets, a midterm and final.

Introduction (1/5/2009)

Problem Set #1: Due Monday Feb 2, 2009

Read Kivelson&Russell Chapter 12 (by Goertz&Strangeway) and do all the problems (1-11, pp. 398-399)

Problem Set #2: Due Feb 16, 2009