KINETIC THEORY OF PLASMAS,

Abstract

Based on the picture of field-particle scattering, an attempt is made to derive kinetic equations for plasmas. The system is assumed to have overall neutrality and to be under no external forces. A linear approximation which corresponds to linearizing the Vlasov equation is used to truncate the hierarchy of equations. The whole problem is reduced to exactly solving a familiar singular integral equation. A coupled set of temporal equations for the field energy and the homogeneous Fourier component of the one-particle distribution function is obtained under arbitrary initial correlations. The particle part of the equations consists of two terms: the one is the well-known Balescu-Lenard collision integral and the other is what one obtains in the quasi-linear theory of plasmas based on the Vlasov equation. The resonant scattering part of the equations agrees with the Pines-Schrieffer equations. Both the stable and unstable cases are considered, and the motions of ions is also included. The theory is valid regardless whether the system is homogeneous or non-homogeneous. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 1967
Accession Number
AD0648456

Entities

People

  • T. J. Lie

Organizations

  • University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Collisions
  • Distribution Functions
  • Equations
  • Hierarchies
  • Integral Equations
  • Integrals
  • Kinetic Theory
  • Particles
  • Scattering

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Finite Element Method (FEM) for solving Partial Differential Equations (PDEs)
  • Plasma Physics / Magnetohydrodynamics