Existing textbooks on plasma physics usually contain only a minor contribution devoted to plasma transport. The aim of Transport Processes in Plasmas'' is to provide a comprehensive and unified presentation of the transport theory in plasmas. This subject is of great importance in general statistical and plasma physics; moreover, it constitutes a keystone in the thermonuclear fusion programme as well as in astro- and geophysics. The subject is presented here by unified concepts, methods and notations. The contents are strongly embedded in a general framework of theoretical physics, appealing to modern Hamiltonian mechanics, kinetic theory, non-equilibrium thermodynamics, etc. The necessary concepts from these disciplines are briefly but completely explained, making the two volumes a self-contained text. Plasma transport theory can be characterised as a truly interdisciplinary activity, and several chapters are included containing the important concepts of these peripheral fields, briefly and completely. Many new features are introduced in those two volumes.

This multi-author reference work provides a unique introduction to the currently emerging, highly interdisciplinary field of those transport processes that cannot be described by using standard methods of statistical mechanics. It comprehensively summarizes topics ranging from mathematical foundations of anomalous dynamics to the most recent experiments in this field. In so doing, this monograph extracts and emphasizes common principles and methods from many different disciplines while providing up-to-date coverage of this new field of research, considering such diverse applications as plasma physics, glassy material, cell science, and socio-economic aspects. The book will be of interest to both theorists and experimentalists in nonlinear dynamics, statistical physics and stochastic processes. It also forms an ideal starting point for graduate students moving into this area. 18 chapters written by internationally recognized experts in this field provide in-depth introductions to fundamental aspects of anomalous transport.

A graduate level text treating transport theory, an essential element of theoretical plasma physics.

“Transport Processes in Space Physics and Astrophysics” is aimed at graduate level students to provide the necessary mathematical and physics background to understand the transport of gases, charged particle gases, energetic charged particles, turbulence, and radiation in an astrophysical and space physics context. Subjects emphasized in the work include collisional and collisionless processes in gases (neutral or plasma), analogous processes in turbulence fields and radiation fields, and allows for a simplified treatment of the statistical description of the system. A systematic study that addresses the common tools at a graduate level allows students to progress to a point where they can begin their research in a variety of fields within space physics and astrophysics. This book is for graduate students who expect to complete their research in an area of plasma space physics or plasma astrophysics. By providing a broad synthesis in several areas of transport theory and modeling, the work also benefits researchers in related fields by providing an overview that currently does not exist. For numerous interesting and challenging space physics and astrophysics problems, there is a need to describe the “long-term” behavior of systems governed by macroscopic laws and microscopic randomness. A random event has an outcome that is uncertain and unpredictable, yet the collective behavior of a system can be governed by well defined mathematical and physical principles. Examples of physical problems include the behavior of gases in the presence of microscopic inter-particle collisions, the evolution of a gas of charged protons and electrons (a plasma), the collective propagation of solar energetic particles or cosmic rays in a magnetically turbulent medium, the collective behavior of dust in an accretion disk subject to coagulation and destruction, the evolution of low-frequency magnetic field turbulence in the inhomogeneous solar wind, or the transport of photos in a partially ionized interstellar medium. This book provides graduate students with a unified introduction to the physics of collective phenomena or transport processes for gases (charged and uncharged), fields, and photons in a space physics or astrophysics context.

This book compiles the contributions from various international experts on magnetized plasma physics, both in controlled fusion and in astrophysics, and on atmospheric science. Most recent results are presented along with new ideas. The various facets of rotation and momentum transport in complex systems are discussed, including atmospheric-ocean turbulence, the constraints, and the concept of potential vorticity. The close interplay between flows and magnetohydrodynamics dynamo action, instabilities, turbulence and structure dynamics are the main focus of the book, in the context of astrophysics and magnetic fusion devices like Tokamak, and Reversed Field Pinch. Both physicists and advanced students interested in the field will find the topics as interesting as researchers from other fields who are looking to broaden their perspectives.

The Vlasov equation is the master equation which provides a statistical description for the collective behavior of large numbers of charged particles in mutual, long-range interaction. In other words, a low collision (or “Vlasov”) plasma. Plasma physics is itself a relatively young discipline, whose “birth” can be ascribed to the 1920s. The origin of the Vlasov model, however, is even more recent, dating back to the late 1940s. This “young age” is due to the rare occurrence of Vlasov plasma on Earth, despite the fact it characterizes most of the visible matter in the universe. This book – addressed to students, young researchers and to whoever wants a good understanding of Vlasov plasmas – discusses this model with a pedagogical presentation, focusing on the general properties and historical development of the applications of the Vlasov equation. The milestone developments discussed in the first two chapters serve as an introduction to more recent works (characterization of wave propagation and nonlinear properties of the electrostatic limit).