Plasma Physics

The “2007 ICTP Summer College on Plasma Physics'' was held at the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Trieste, Italy, during the period 30 July to 24 August 2007.

by Francis F. Chen (Author)
Third edition of this bestselling textbook providing a coherent and easy-to-understand introduction to plasma physics and controlled fusion
Updates all existing chapters and includes two additional chapters on Special Plasmas and Plasma Applications
Contains new and advanced problem sets in each chapter

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.

Authors: Miyamoto, Kenro
New edition of a classic monograph, recognized for its encyclopedic completeness
Covers design concept of ITER (international tokamak experimental reactor), reversed field pinch, stellarator, tandem mirror and inertial confinement
Written by an expert with 36 years of experience in teaching plasma physics and controlled fusion

This book is intended as an introduction to plasma physics at a level suitable for advanced undergraduates or beginning postgraduate students in physics, applied mathematics or astrophysics. The main prerequisite is a knowledge of electromagnetism and of the associated mathematics of vector calculus. SI units are used throughout. There is still a tendency amongst some plasma physics researchers to· cling to C.g.S. units, but it is the author's view that universal adoption of SI units, which have been the internationally agreed standard since 1960, is to be encouraged. After a short introductory chapter, the basic properties of a plasma con­ cerning particle orbits, fluid theory, Coulomb collisions and waves are set out in Chapters 2-5, with illustrations drawn from problems in nuclear fusion research and space physics. The emphasis is on the essential physics involved and (he theoretical and mathematical approach has been kept as simple and intuitive as possible. An attempt has been made to draw attention to areas of current research and to present plasma physics as a developing subject with many areas ofuncertainty, and not as something to be set forth on 'tablets of stone'.

This book serves as an introduction to boundary plasma physics, providing an accessible entry point to the topic of plasma exhaust in magnetic confinement devices. While it delivers a concise, rigorous, and comprehensive account of all the major scientific topics relevant to those working on the subject, it also remains accessible and easy to consult due to its modular and compact structure.