Understanding Plasma Physics and Magnetohydrodynamics

1. Physics 777Plasma Physics and Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) Instructor: Gregory Fleishman Lecture 1. Introduction 2 September 2008

2. Plan of the Lecture • Introductory Notes • About the Course: background, methodology, goals, structure, schedule, homework/written report format and requirements • What is the plasma? • Single particle motions • Basic equations, various approaches to the plasma treatment

3. Section 1. Introductory Notes

4. Section 2. About the Course • Background: Classical and Quantum Mechanics, Electrodynamics, Statistical Physics, Calculus, Algebra, Differential Equations • Goals: understand basic ideas, approaches, and methods of the plasma physics with the emphasis on emission and transport of the radiation, particle acceleration, and applications to the solar physics and astrophysics • Methodology: theoretical physics; the most important formulae will typically be derived during the classes • Course Outline: http://web.njit.edu/~gfleishm; the course is arranged to provide self-recitations and cross-referencing, thus the most important ingredients will be discussed twice or more (although from different perspectives and by different approaches • Books and Other Sources: whenever possible, I will follow the Somov (Part I and II) books including the equation numbering. In the Lecture Notes I will use data, pictures, etc available from open internet sources, books, and scientific papers. I will try to maintain the appropriate links in my webpage and citations in my Lecture Notes. Required books are available at the CSTR • Homework/written report: all the homework assignments must be collected in a single tex/pdf files organized as a research paper (e.g., with ApJ style). Each homework must compose a section (with the appropriate number of subsections) of the paper. Sections “Introduction”, “Discussion”, and “Conclusions” are supposed to originate from the work on individual research topic assigned for the written report project. Some level of original research is highly desirable within the written report work.

5. Section 3. What is the Plasma? • Subsection 3.1. Ionization processes M. J. Aschwanden. Physics of the Solar Corona

6. Subsection 3.2. Ionization equilibrium • Boltzman eq. • Bound-free tr. • Statistical weight • Saha equation, 1920

7. Subsection 3.3. Examples of the natural plasmas Galaxies M82, starburst galaxy NGC 5866 Jet, M87 Hoag's Object A radio map of the galaxy Centaurus A (upper left and lower right) is overlaid across the optical image (center), showing two lobes from the jets being generated by an active nucleus. Antennae galaxies NGC 1300, spiral galaxy NASA/HST

8. Interstellar Medium (ISM) Table 1: Components of the interstellar medium[1] Fractional Volume < 1% 1—5% 10—20% H II regions < 1% ~ 8000 102—104 20—50% 30—70% http://cass.ucsd.edu/public/tutorial/ISM.html Cygnus loop Cas A Crab nebula

9. Sun and Solar System

10. Polar lights after flare of 28.10.03

11. Solar Cycle

12. The Sun is active

13. UV observations by TRACE satellite: Hot magnetic loops Новый взгляд на Солнце

14. Release of the magnetic energy gives rise to the phenomenon of the solar flare

15. Synchrotron Radio Emission 17 GHz 34 GHz

16. Extreme plasmas http://www.astro.umd.edu/~miller/nstar.html#internal

17. GRB Subsection 3.4.Plasma Regimes Neutron stars White dwarfs http://web.njit.edu/~leejw/

18. Subsection 3.5.Plasma Parameters • Temperature, T (K); kT (erg) • Density, ne, ni (cm-3); Magnetic field B (G) • Thermal velocity • Plasma frequency • Debye radius

19. Continued • Gyrofrequency • Larmor radius • Plasma parameter

20. Section 4.Particle motion in a given field.

21. Subsection 4.1.Particle motion in a constant uniform non-magnetic field

22. Subsection 4.2.Particle motion in a constant uniform magnetic field

23. Subsection 4.3.Drifts

24. Drifts

25. Subsection 5.1. Maxwell equations and equations of motion Section 5.Basic equations

26. Subsection 5.2. Kinetics theory • Continuity in phase space • Liouville’s theorem • Kinetic equation • Distribution function • Distribution function for a single particle • Averaging over phase space, time, and ensemble

27. Statistical averaging, collisional integral

28. Subsection 5.3. Macroscopic treatment

29. Macroscopic treatment

30. Subsection 5.4. Set of MHD equations

31. Where

32. Subsection 5.5. Ideal MHD equations

33. Section 6. Homework • Calculate plasma parameters for various plasmas considered during the lecture (various components of ISM, Sun, and other stars) • Assuming the magnetic field of the Galaxy is about 10 mkG, and size of 20 kpc, find for what energy of electron (proton) the Larmor radius will be equal to the Galaxy size • Calculate the particle trajectory when electric field is parallel to the magnetic field • Derive formulae for gradient drift

34. FASR

35. Siberian Solar Radio Telescope (SSRT) Сибирский Солнечный Радиотелескоп (ССРТ)

36. Nobeyama Radiohelioghaph Радиогелиограф в Нобеяме