The Thermodynamics and Magnetohydrodynamics of Wave Propagation in Partially Ionized Plasmas,

Abstract

A dynamic adiabatic state equation was derived on the basis of the thermodynamics of irreversible processes for a partially ionized plasma with three components. The degree of ionization was taken as time-dependent with relaxation. A full set of magnetohydrodynamic equations was set up for such a plasma and solved after linearization. The dispersion relations obtained for timely and spatially homogeneous waves, which contain all possible wave types and are modified by appropriate members, contain terms for the mean degree of ionization, ionization energy, mean temperature, and relaxation time. If an external magnetic field lies in the direction of wave propagation, there is no effect on the longitudinal wave; however, a left-direction and a right-direction circularly polarized transverse wave forms.

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 20, 1969
Accession Number
AD0859836

Entities

People

  • E. Kirsten
  • G. Vojta

Organizations

  • National Air and Space Intelligence Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Dispersion Relations
  • East Germany
  • Equations
  • Equations Of State
  • Ionization
  • Irreversible Processes
  • Magnetic Fields
  • Relaxation Time
  • Thermodynamics
  • Transverse Waves
  • Wave Propagation
  • Waveforms
  • Waves

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Plasma Physics / Magnetohydrodynamics