Beginning at an introductory level, this text presents a thorough treatment of plasma physics, including an extensive discussion of its applications in thermonuclear fusion research. A novel feature of this book is its comprehensive description of the various concepts and formulas widely used in fusion theory based on the fundamental equations of the plasma fluid. The physics of fusion plasmas is explained mainly in relation to recent progress in tokamak research, but other plasma confinement schemes, such as stellarators and inertial confinement, are also described. The unique and systematic presentation will help readers to understand the overall structure of plasma theory and will facilitate access to more advanced literature on special topics.

The Joint Varenna-Lausanne International Workshop on Theory of Fusion Plasmas takes place every other year in a place particularly favorable for informal and in depth discussions. Invited and contributed papers present state-of-the art researches in theoretical plasma physics, covering all domains relevant to fusion plasmas. This workshop always allows a fruitful mix of experienced researchers and students, to allow for a better understanding of the key theoretical physics models and applications, such as: Theoretical issues related to burning plasmas; Anomalous Transport (Turbulence, Coherent Structures, Microinstabilities) RF Heating and Current Drive; Macroinstabilities; Plasma-Edge Physics and Divertors; Fast particles instabilities.

There has been an increase in interest worldwide in fusion research over the last decade and a half due to the recognition that a large number of new, environmentally attractive, sustainable energy sources will be needed to meet ever increasing demand for electrical energy. Based on a series of course notes from graduate courses in plasma physics and fusion energy at MIT, the text begins with an overview of world energy needs, current methods of energy generation, and the potential role that fusion may play in the future. It covers energy issues such as the production of fusion power, power balance, the design of a simple fusion reactor and the basic plasma physics issues faced by the developers of fusion power. This book is suitable for graduate students and researchers working in applied physics and nuclear engineering. A large number of problems accumulated over two decades of teaching are included to aid understanding.

This graduate level textbook develops the theory of magnetically confined plasma, with the aim of bringing the reader to the level of current research in the field of thermonuclear fusion. It begins with the basic concepts of magnetic field description, plasma equilibria and stability, and goes on to derive the equations for guiding center particle motion in an equilibrium field. Topics include linear and nonlinear ideal and resistive modes and particle transport. It is of use to workers in the field of fusion both for its wide-ranging account of tokamak physics and as a kind of handbook or formulary.This edition has been extended in a number of ways. The material on mode-particle interactions has been reformulated and much new information added, including methodology for Monte Carlo implementation of mode destabilization. These results give explicit means of carrying out mode destabilization analysis, in particular for the dangerous fishbone mode. A new chapter on cyclotron motion in toroidal geometry has been added, with comparisons of the analysis of resonances using guiding center results. A new chapter on the use of lithium lined walls has been added, a promising means of lowering the complexity and cost of full scale fusion reactors. A section on nonlocal transport has been added, including an analysis of Levy flight simulations of ion transport in the reversed field pinch in Padova, RFX.

TO THE SECOND EDITION In the nine years since this book was first written, rapid progress has been made scientifically in nuclear fusion, space physics, and nonlinear plasma theory. At the same time, the energy shortage on the one hand and the exploration of Jupiter and Saturn on the other have increased the national awareness of the important applications of plasma physics to energy production and to the understanding of our space environment. In magnetic confinement fusion, this period has seen the attainment 13 of a Lawson number nTE of 2 x 10 cm -3 sec in the Alcator tokamaks at MIT; neutral-beam heating of the PL T tokamak at Princeton to KTi = 6. 5 keV; increase of average ß to 3%-5% in tokamaks at Oak Ridge and General Atomic; and the stabilization of mirror-confined plasmas at Livermore, together with injection of ion current to near field-reversal conditions in the 2XIIß device. Invention of the tandem mirror has given magnetic confinement a new and exciting dimension. New ideas have emerged, such as the compact torus, surface-field devices, and the EßT mirror-torus hybrid, and some old ideas, such as the stellarator and the reversed-field pinch, have been revived. Radiofrequency heat ing has become a new star with its promise of dc current drive. Perhaps most importantly, great progress has been made in the understanding of the MHD behavior of toroidal plasmas: tearing modes, magnetic Vll Vlll islands, and disruptions.

This book describes the ideal magnetohydrodynamic theory for magnetically conned fusion plasmas. Advanced topics are presented in attempting to fill the gap between the up-to-date research developments and plasma physics textbooks. Nevertheless, they are self contained and trackable with the mathematical treatments detailed and underlying physics explained. Both analytical theories and numerical schemes are given. Besides the current research developments in this field, the future prospects are also discussed. Nowadays, it is believed that, if the ideal MHD theory predicts major instabilities, none of the magnetic confinements of fusion plasmas can survive. The author has also written the book Advanced Tokamak Stability Theory. In view of its importance, the MHD theory is further systematically elaborated in this book. The conventional ideal MHD framework is reviewed together with the newly developed multi-parallel-fluid MHD theory. The MHD equilibrium theory and code are described with the non-letter-'X' separatrix feature pointed out. The continuum modes, quasi-modes, phase mixing, and Alfven resonance heating are analysed. The analytical theories for MHD stability in tokamak configurations are systematically presented, such as the interchange, peeling, ballooning, toroidal Alfven modes, and kink type of modes. The global stability computations are also addressed, including resistive wall modes, error-field amplifications, and Alfven modes, etc.

Filling the gap for a treatment of the subject as an advanced course in theoretical physics with a huge potential for future applications, this monograph discusses aspects of these applications and provides theoretical methods and tools for their investigation. Throughout this coherent and up-to-date work the main emphasis is on classical plasmas at high-temperatures, drawing on the experienced author's specialist background. As such, it covers the key areas of magnetic fusion plasma, laser-plasma-interaction and astrophysical plasmas, while also including nonlinear waves and phenomena. For master and PhD students as well as researchers interested in the theoretical foundations of plasma models.

This book focuses on the multifluid theory in the field of magnetically confined plasma physics. It is an advanced review on the state-of-the-art theory and application of magnetically confined plasma physics.

Graduate-level text examines the essential physics underlying international research in magnetic confinement fusion with accounts of fundamental concepts behind methods of confining plasma at or near thermonuclear conditions. 1992 edition.

This revised and enlarged second edition of the popular textbook and reference contains comprehensive treatments of both the established foundations of magnetic fusion plasma physics and of the newly developing areas of active research. It concludes with a look ahead to fusion power reactors of the future. The well-established topics of fusion plasma physics -- basic plasma phenomena, Coulomb scattering, drifts of charged particles in magnetic and electric fields, plasma confinement by magnetic fields, kinetic and fluid collective plasma theories, plasma equilibria and flux surface geometry, plasma waves and instabilities, classical and neoclassical transport, plasma-materials interactions, radiation, etc. -- are fully developed from first principles through to the computational models employed in modern plasma physics. The new and emerging topics of fusion plasma physics research -- fluctuation-driven plasma transport and gyrokinetic/gyrofluid computational methodology, the physics of the divertor, neutral atom recycling and transport, impurity ion transport, the physics of the plasma edge (diffusive and non-diffusive transport, MARFEs, ELMs, the L-H transition, thermal-radiative instabilities, shear suppression of transport, velocity spin-up), etc. -- are comprehensively developed and related to the experimental evidence. Operational limits on the performance of future fusion reactors are developed from plasma physics and engineering constraints, and conceptual designs of future fusion power reactors are discussed.