Space plasmas

Abstract

The theoretical understanding of space plasmas which are basically tenuous, magnetized, and have large characteristic dimensions, depends on the study of the interplay between the particle and fluid behaviors. The motion of the individual charged particle in the electric and magnetic fields and the dynamics of the MHD fluid plasmas are discussed with an emphasis on the study of currents arising due to drifting of particles, magnetization and collisions and the interaction of the magnetic fields with plasmas. The kinetic description of plasma is necessary to understand the wave-particle interactions giving rise to many new phenomena exclusive to plasmas. Plasma waves are observed in space and this is a much studied topic. The basics of electromagnetic, electrostatic and magnetohydrodynamic waves are discussed. The kinetic theory of waves is given mainly to show the results arising due to resonant wave-particle interactions such as Landau-damping. The interface between two plasma regions can exist in an equilibrium state in space. The study of surface waves and their instability plays a very important role in many dynamical processes in the magnetosphere. The resonant absorption of Alfvén surface waves along the diffuse boundaries in a nondissipative system is a low frequency phenomenon similar to collisionless Landau damping of high frequency plasma waves. Two-stream instability involves high frequency plasma oscillations and an important concept of negative energy waves is associated with the excitation of this instability. Tearing mode instability is of interest in understanding of the magnetic reconnection processes in space plasmas. © 2007 Springer-Verlag.