Handbook on Plasma Instabilities, Volume 3, is primarily intended to serve as a sourcebook for obtaining quick information and literature references pertaining to a specific topic. Such a handbook has to be formulated in a way that enables understanding of any one section without requiring full understanding of any other section. Volume 1 (Chapters 1-13) presents the fundamental concepts of plasma physics with applications, and has more the nature of a textbook treating basic plasma physics, containment, waves, and macroscopic instabilities. Volume 2 (Chapters 14-17) covers various aspects of microinstabilities, beam plasma systems, stabilization methods, and parametric effects. The present volume (Chapters 18-22) starts with a discussion on feedback and dynamic stabilization using parametric and other effects. It then treats nonlinear effects and laser-plasma systems. One chapter is devoted to applications and use of instabilities. It concludes with a report on plasma waves and instabilities in cosmic space.

Handbook on Plasma Instabilities, Volume 1 serves as an introduction to the field of plasma physics and plasma instabilities. Topics covered include basic plasma physics, statistical plasma theory, and magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), as well as the many-species theory and plasma containment. The motion of individual particles, oscillations and waves, and MHD instabilities of a real and an ideal plasma are also discussed. This volume is comprised of 13 chapters and begins with a survey of the various applications of plasma sciences and an overview of the fundamental concepts of plasma physics. Basic plasma physics, the physics of instabilities, orbit theory, kinetic theory, MHD, and the many-fluid theory are then presented. The following chapters focus on the principles of plasma containment and waves in plasmas, together with the basic features of plasma instabilities and their classification. The classical MHD stability theory of an ideal and of a real plasma is also described. The final chapter is devoted to drift waves and drift instabilities in inhomogeneous plasmas, paying particular attention to the theory of gradient instabilities and the microscopic theory of waves in non-homogeneous collisionless plasmas. This handbook is intended for beginners in plasma physics and plasma instabilities and for physicists and engineers working actively in the field.

Handbook on Plasma Instabilities, Volume 2 consists of four chapters on plasma instabilities. Chapter 14 discusses the various aspects of microinstabilities. Beam-plasma systems are covered in Chapter 15, while the various stabilization methods are presented in Chapter 16. This book concludes with deliberations on parametric effects in Chapter 17. Other topics discussed include the microinstabilities of a homogeneous unmagnetized plasma; kinetic theory of macroscopic instabilities; basic beam physics; and beam-plasma instabilities. The magnetic field configuration stabilization; macroscopic nonmagnetic stabilization methods; parametric instabilities in homogeneous unmagnetized plasmas; and parametric effects in bounded and inhomogeneous plasmas are also elaborated in this text. This publication is beneficial to students and researchers conducting work on unstable plasma.

This book describes the linear theory of waves and instabilities that propagate in a collisionless plasma.

Introduction to Plasma Physics is the standard text for an introductory lecture course on plasma physics. The text’s six sections lead readers systematically and comprehensively through the fundamentals of modern plasma physics. Sections on single-particle motion, plasmas as fluids, and collisional processes in plasmas lay the groundwork for a thorough understanding of the subject. The authors take care to place the material in its historical context for a rich understanding of the ideas presented. They also emphasize the importance of medical imaging in radiotherapy, providing a logical link to more advanced works in the area. The text includes problems, tables, and illustrations as well as a thorough index and a complete list of references.

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.

The book describes a statistical approach to the basics of plasma physics.

This unified introduction provides the tools and techniques needed to analyze plasmas and connects plasma phenomena to other fields of study. Combining mathematical rigor with qualitative explanations, and linking theory to practice with example problems, this is a perfect textbook for senior undergraduate and graduate students taking one-semester introductory plasma physics courses. For the first time, material is presented in the context of unifying principles, illustrated using organizational charts, and structured in a successive progression from single particle motion, to kinetic theory and average values, through to collective phenomena of waves in plasma. This provides students with a stronger understanding of the topics covered, their interconnections, and when different types of plasma models are applicable. Furthermore, mathematical derivations are rigorous, yet concise, so physical understanding is not lost in lengthy mathematical treatments. Worked examples illustrate practical applications of theory and students can test their new knowledge with 90 end-of-chapter problems.