INTERACTION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES WITH A PLASMA
Abstract
From statistical mechanical aspects of plasmas through relativistic and nonlinear treatments of plasmas, a study is presented of the plasma in the interface between the earth's magnetic field and the solar wind, and the coupling of electromagnetic energy into an inhomogeneous plasma. It is shown how appropriate initial distribution functions for a plasma are obtained from given initial macroscopic quantities by means of the maximum entropy principle. A new approach to the solution of the Liouville equation is also presented. Phenomenological considerations are used to obtain a one-particle distribution function that consists of two parts that account for the effects of the distant particles and the nearest neighbors. From this distribution function and Liouville's theorem, a general kinetic equation for a particle in a plasma and its dynamical friction are demonstrated. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1962
- Accession Number
- AD0274758
Entities
People
- Carson Flammer
- S.v. Yadavalli
Organizations
- SRI International