The Physics of Alfvén Waves

Low-frequency wave modes of magnetized inhomogeneous plasmas have been subject to intense study in the last decade because they play important roles in the transport of energy in the plasmas. The "Alfven wave heating" scheme has been investigated as a supplementary heating scheme for fusion plasma devices, and it has been invoked as a model of the heating of the solar and stellar coronae. This book covers the latest research into the properties and applications of low-frequency wave modes in magnetized plasmas, the Alfven waves and magneto-acoustic waves, in the context of laboratory, space and astrophysical plasmas. In particular, non-ideal effects on the dispersion relation and absorption properties of linear and non-linear waves are included, such as ion-cyclotron effects, friction between the ionized plasma and a background gas of neutral atoms, and the interaction of the plasma with dust particles. The book also surveys the theory of Alfven and magnetoacoustic waves in inhomogeneous plasmas, as occur in realistic laboratory, space and astrophysical plasmas, with resulting localized wave modes such as surface waves. Waves are considered under a variety of plasma conditions, ranging from cold cosmic plasmas, to hot laboratory and solar plasmas, to the relativistic plasmas around pulsars.

Table of Contents:
DESCRIPTIONS OF MAGNETIZED PLASMAS Introduction The multi-fluid equations The magnetohydrodynamic model The Hall-MHD model Fourier transforms The kinetic theory WAVES IN UNIFORM PLASMAS Introduction Waves with the MHD model The Hall-MHD model Cold collisionless plasmas Collisional damping Multiple Ion species Kinetic theory of waves Kinetic alfven wave and inertial alfven wave WAVES IN NONUNIFORM PLASMAS Introduction Stratified plasmas Waves in smooth nonuniformities Alfven resonance absorption SURFACE WAVES Introduction Surfaces waves at density jumps Finite ion cyclotron frequency effects Multiple ion species Ideal MHD Magnetic field rotation Radiative and collisional damping Kinetic theory INSTABILITIES AND NONLINEAR WAVES Introduction Instabilities Acceleration of charged particles Nonlinear waves Parametric and modulational instabilities Nonlinear kinetic and inertial alfven waves Nonlinear surface waves LABORATORY PLASMAS Introduction Modes of bounded plasmas Cylindrical geometry Nonuniform plasmas Effects of current Discrete alfven waves Toroial alfven eigenmodes Current drive Localized alfven waves SPACE AND SOLAR PLASMAS Introduction The magnetosphere Solar and stellar winds Dusty space plasmas Cometary plasmas The solar corona Solar flux tubes ASTROPHYSICAL PLASMAS Introduction Interstellar clouds Pulsar magnetospheres Concluding remarks

About the Author :
Neil F. Cramer is the author of The Physics of Alfven Waves, published by Wiley.

Review :
The most important plasma & related journals are (in no particular order): Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion Journal of Plasma Physics (Cambridge) Physics of Plasmas (AIP) IEEE Transactions in Plasma Science Phys Rev E Journal of Physics D Applied Physics Solar Physics Astronomy and Astrophysics Astrophysical Journal Nuclear Fusion Astrophysics and Space Science