An Introduction to Plasma Astrophysics and Magnetohydrodynamics

Abstract

Plasma as the fourth state of matter -- Plasmas and magnetic fields -- Why plasma physics -- Basic plasma properties -- Elements of plasma kinetic theory -- Plasma oscillations: the plasma frequency -- The Debye shielding length -- Charge neutrality again -- Weakly coupled plasmas -- Damping of plasma oscillations -- Collisions -- Larmor frequency and Larmor radius -- Fluid equations for mass, momentum and energy -- Multi-fluid theory -- Two-fluid theory -- Single-fluid equations -- Magnetohydrodynamics -- Generalized Ohm's law -- The MHD approximation of Ohm's law -- The pre-Maxwell equations -- Equations of Ideal and resistive MHD -- The induction equation and conservation of magnetic flux -- The diffusive limit of the induction equation -- Magnetic field lines -- The Lorentz force -- Basic MHD dynamics -- Linear motions superimposed on a static equilibrium -- Waves of a uniform plasma of infinite extent -- Sound waves -- Alfven waves -- Alfven waves and slow waves -- Alfven waves and magnetosonic waves -- The solar wind -- Overview of observations -- Alternatives to the energy equation -- Static models -- de Laval nozzle -- Parker's isothermal solution for a thermally driven wind -- Rotating thermally driven wind -- Rotating magnetized thermally driven wind.