Book Description

This complete introduction to plasma physics and controlled fusion by one of the pioneering scientists in this expanding field offers both a simple and intuitive discussion of the basic concepts of this subject and an insight into the challenging problems of current research. In a wholly lucid manner the work covers single-particle motions, fluid equations for plasmas, wave motions, diffusion and resistivity, Landau damping, plasma instabilities and nonlinear problems. For students, this outstanding text offers a painless introduction to this important field; for teachers, a large collection of problems; and for researchers, a concise review of the fundamentals as well as original treatments of a number of topics never before explained so clearly. This revised edition contains new material on kinetic effects, including Bernstein waves and the plasma dispersion function, and on nonlinear wave equations and solitons.

Customer Reviews (10)

Better than Bittencourt.
Good solid introduction to plasma physics.Fairly general introduction geared towards advanced undergraduates and grad students.There are better books which concentrate on applications, both of which I own.Sturrock for geophysical and earth plasma physics and Kulsrud for astrophysics.

Plasma physicists do it with confinement
I took an intro to plasma physics class using this book at the undergraduate level - and this book was perfect. It has a good blend of experimental evidence, theory, and math. The derivations are really good, you can follow along in the margins. The pictures are clear and beautiful, the page layout easy on the eyes. This is not a graduate text, but aimed at the advanced undergrad level. You should already know calculus, complex analysis, EM, and linear algebra before learning this material.

Clearly and simplified
The texts of this book are not long,but are very clear in physics concepts and are simplied:
1.All important math steps to prove the physics are mentioned(not released to the reader) in simplied way so that readers can know clearly both the math steps and physics meanings without being buffered by complecated math steps.
2.The author mentioned clearly the physics meaning of any equation.

I am a bachalor of physics,such kind of textbook(clear and simple and friendly) I had had only two:textbook named "Introduction to Electrodynamic" and "Introduction to Quantum Mechanics" written by famous author,Mr. Grify.

As a result,I think it is a very good textbook,at least for students who start to learn plamsa physics.

Really not a graduate text
I picked up this book for my graduate plasma 1 class alongside Goldston's book.The material is geared towards undergrads and would have been great had I picked up the book two years ago.Instead I found that I hardly opened Chen and stuck with Goldston or course notes.So if you are an undergrad or someone who is just generally interested in plasma physics this is probably what you should be buying.If you are a grad student and don't have it already then there is a decent chance that if you buy this book all you will get out of it is a warm feeling in your heart from knowing that you have the same book on your shelf that every other plasma physicist has.

It Just Keeps Coming in Handy
I first bought this text for an undergraduate course in plasmas, and I liked it then -- Chen's first few chapters will get you through the basics without any undue suffering (you'll hurt because the subject can be difficult, not because the text is unclear.) After spending a few months on my shelf, it reappeared for some research I was doing that required me to get comfortable with a few different types of plasma waves. Now Chen has come back into my life -- I'm taking a graduate course in kinetic theory of plasmas, and I find myself opening up this book on a daily basis to figure something out. This textbook has served me well, and if you're doing work (coursework or research) in the plasmas field, it will likely serve you well, too. The first four or five chapters are written so that a senior-level physics undergrad can understand them, so you get a nice conceptual grasp of the subject (as well as good reference material on more advanced topics.)

One point: I wouldn't recommend buying this as a "teach yourself plasma physics on a desert island" kind of book. If you can find someone who knows the subject, though, Chen will help you to learn a lot after they've explained a few basic points.

Basic subjects covered are:

Orbit theory (single particle motion, adiabatic invariants)
Fluid approximation
Plasma waves (O, X, R, L, acoustic, and many others)
Diffusion and resistivity
Equilibrium/stability issues
Kinetic theory
Assorted non-linear effects ... Read more

Book Description
Emphasizing basic plasma theory, with applications to both space and laboratory plasmas, the topics covered in this text include single-particle motions, kinetic theory, magnetohydrodynamics, small amplitude waves in both cold and hot plasmas, nonlinear phenomena and collisional effects. Applications comprise planetary magnetospheres and radiation belts, the confinement and stability of plasmas in fusion devices, the propagation of discontinuities and shock waves in the solar wind, and the analysis of various types of plasma waves and instabilities that can occur in planetary magnetospheres and laboratory plasma devices. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good text but homework problems too easy
The text was nicely written and describes a lot of phenomena but the homework problems were way too easy and most of the time did not even require the knowledge presented in the chapters.For example, many of the problems were of the form "plug this into the quadratic equation" or "add these two equations and simplify".Without problems that present a test of knowledge it was hard for me to solidify my reading or to know whether I really understood it.That criticism aside, the author was able to present a lot of information in an understandable form without getting needlessly bogged down in details. ... Read more

Book Description
Plasma physics is a necessary part of our understanding of stellar and galactic structure. It determines the magnetospheric environment of the earth and other planets; it forms the research frontier in such areas as nuclear fusion, advanced accelerators, and high power lasers; and its applications to various industrial processes (such as computer chip manufacture) are rapidly increasing. It is thus a subject with a long list of scientific and technological applications. This book provides the scientific background for understanding such applications, but it emphasizes something else: the intrinsic scientific interest of the plasma state. It attempts to develop an understanding of this state, and of plasma behavior, as thoroughly and systematically as possible. The book was written with the graduate student in mind, but most of the material would also fit into an upper-level undergraduate course. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A rich reward
Plasma physics is a very rich subject. This author does a good job of introducing it to the reader. There are flaws with his methods, however. Some equations have variables which do not get defined or mentioned anywhere. They are identifiable after some mulling, but when the purpose of understanding the equations gets held up for lack of definitions, then it becomes somewhat annoying. Otherwise the book is good. ... Read more

Book Description
Physics of Space Plasmas was one of the first textbooks published in the area of space plasma physics and included up-to-date observations from space available at that time. It has been used in the United States and abroad by many universities as a text in introductory space plasma physics courses. A considerable number of new space plasma observations have been made since publication of the first edition. These more recent observations have revealed new and exciting information about space plasma and will enhance the quality of the overarching discussion and analyses of space plasma physics. Citing results from several NASA and ESA space missions, the completely revised Second Edition now expands the interpretation using kinetic physics to explain the kinetic features in the plasma data.Parks also includes a clear and simple discussion of how electromagnetic fields behave in rotating frames. This revision retains the thoughtful examples and problems of the First Edition and includes new ones to complement the new material and changes in the Second Edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

This book is the real deal
For one who wants the full mathematical plasma physics approach to geospace, this is the book to get.

When it comes to looking up phenomena associated with the maths however, I found the book difficult. It often doesn't explain in enough depth in simple terms certain happenings around the earth (whistlers, instabilities etc). The chapters are organised around the maths aswell.

I suppose it depends on what you need the book for. If you want the full maths approach, get this book. If you want something based around the concepts, get a copy of Kivelson & Russell, or Kallenrode - both excellent texts. ... Read more

Book Description

Plasma processing of semiconductors is an interdisciplinary field requiring knowledge of both plasma physics and chemical engineering. The two authors are experts in each of these fields, and their collaboration results in the merging of these fields with a common terminology. Basic plasma concepts are introduced painlessly to those who have studied undergraduate electromagnetics but have had no previous exposure to plasmas. Unnecessarily detailed derivations are omitted; yet the reader is led to understand in some depth those concepts, such as the structure of sheaths, that are important in the design and operation of plasma processing reactors. Physicists not accustomed to low-temperature plasmas are introduced to chemical kinetics, surface science, and molecular spectroscopy. The material has been condensed to suit a nine-week graduate course, but it is sufficient to bring the reader up to date on current problems such as copper interconnects, low-k and high-k dielectrics, and oxide damage. Students will appreciate the web-style layout with ample color illustrations opposite the text, with ample room for notes. The included CD contains a copy of the book which can be indexed using a Search function, and which can be enlarged on a monitor for a closer look at the diagrams. Sample homework and exam problems can also be found on the CD.

Customer Reviews (1)

Good for quick reading, Need Lieberman's book
I found this to be a good book for quick reading. However, you need Lieberman and Lichtenberg (L &L) for a detailed treatment. L & L is of course not a very pleasant reading, so this provides a good break to "keep moving" through the material. ... Read more

Book Description
Introduction to Plasma Physics is the standard text for an introductory lecture course on plasma physics. The text's six sections lead readers systematically and comprehensively through the fundamentals of modern plasma physics. Sections on single-particle motion, plasmas as fluids, and collisional processes in plasmas lay the groundwork for a thorough understanding of the subject. The authors take care to place the material in its historical context for a rich understanding of the ideas presented. They also emphasize the importance of medical imaging in radiotherapy, providing a logical link to more advanced works in the area. The text includes problems, tables, and illustrations as well as a thorough index and a complete list of references. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great, but I wouldn't use it alone
This book can be very useful as a graduate level plasma text, or a reference, or as something to put on your shelf to make you look like a "serious" plasma physicist.It covers drifts extremely well and I was reasonably pleased with the two fluid model.But in the end if you are trying to learn plasma physics this book really shines as a SUPPLEMENT and I imagine would be pretty frustrating as your only source to learn from.I bought this book and Chen's book for my graduate plasma 1 course.I never opened Chen, referenced Goldston often throughout the course (and as expected put a lot of focus on the class notes).But honestly, I think you probably already know if you need this book.

The 4th element
I am a university student who major in physics. and this book was a text in plasma course. As plasma group of princeton univ. is strong, this bookis strong enough to understand plasma. most favorite thing in this book issufficient explanation about the physical and mathmatical explanation. andthe not good thing is a little dirty mathmatical calculation. so if youwant clear mathmatics, I think you had better look another book. Anyway ifyou read this from cover to cover, you can learn ABC of Plasma. isn't itwonderful? ... Read more

Book Description
Plasma engineering is a rapidly expanding area of science and technology with increasing numbers of engineers using plasma processes over a wide range of applications. An essential tool for understanding this dynamic field, Plasma Physics and Engineering provides a clear, fundamental introduction to virtually all aspects of modern plasma science and technology, including plasma chemistry and engineering, combustion, chemical physics, lasers, electronics, methods of material treatment, fuel conversion, and environmental control. The book contains an extensive database on plasma kinetics and thermodynamics, many helpful numerical formulas for practical calculations, and an array of problems and concept questions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

excellent text, 5 stars if it wasn't for the typos
This is a great reference, with wonderful physical insight into plasma kinetics mechanisms. Unfortunately the astonishing work of the authors is undermined by minor typos from the editor, which may throw off beginners- equations where charges or species don't add up, and the like. I could not find an errata yet, therefore only the 4 stars; but sincere congrats to the authors for such indepth and insightful work.

book for plasma engineers
Thisbookfocusesonthemost important and fundamental issues of
plasmaphysicsandapplicationsintoday's industry. It provides an
excellentintroductionandoverview of plasma. It covers almost all
aspectsofplasmaphysicsandengineering and has a lot of useful
examples.

Inthisbook,author gave a thorough consideration of the theory of
breakdown phenomena leading toformationofdifferentplasma
discharges and finally covered, in considerable depth, the physics and
main featuresbehindthemajordischargesintensivelyusedin
cutting-edgetechnologies.Alongwiththe well known material, the
mostinterestingand important innovations in area of plasma physics
are also gathered and discussed.

Itisextremelyuseful as reference and textbook. I highly recommend itto anyone interested in plasma. ... Read more

Book Description
A good working knowledge of fluid mechanics and plasma physics is essential for the modern astrophysicist. This graduate textbook provides a clear, pedagogical introduction to these core subjects. Assuming an undergraduate background in physics, this book develops fluid mechanics and plasma physics from first principles. This book is unique because it presents neutral fluids and plasmas in a unified scheme, clearly indicating both their similarities and their differences. Also, both the macroscopic (continuum) and microscopic (particles) theories are developed, establishing the connections between them. Throughout, key examples from astrophysics are used, though no previous knowledge of astronomy is assumed. Exercises are included at the end of chapters to test the reader's understanding. This textbook is aimed primarily at astrophysics graduate students. It will also be of interest to advanced students in physics and applied mathematics seeking a unified view of fluid mechanics and plasma physics, encompassing both the microscopic and macroscopic theories. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

From a student of Steve Balbus...
A clear exposition of all areas of astrophysical fluid dynamics (along with some plasma physics).I'm disappointed not to have found anything from the recent (and exciting) advances in MHD instabilities during the 1990s.The Balbus-Hawley Instability is completely ignored, which is a huge failure; this instability has revolutionized accretion disk theory and angular momentum transport, and has been the groundwork for a surge in numerical simulations of accretion disks.It's a great fundamental book nonetheless.

Useful addition to a fluid dynamics library
This book is intended for astrophysicists who want to learn some fluid dynamics and plasma physics.The book does cover traditional topics of plasma physics books--kinetic theory, continuum hydrodynamics andmagnetohydrodynamics, and plasma theory.There is a definite emphasis onastrophysical topics, although there are tidbits on aerodynamic lift,tokamaks, etc.It is sufficiently interesting to be of at least someinterest to general students of fluid dynamics or plasma physics.

Thebook begins with a sketch of the kinetic theory derivation of the NavierStokes equations, beginning with the Hamilton equations, and moving throughLiouville's theorem, the Boltzmann equation, and taking the BGKapproximation.It is only a sketch, not a full scale tutorial on kinetictheory, but I believe something along these lines does belong in any fluiddynamics course taught by a physics department.(Such courses are sadlyuncommon.)

The continuum derivation of the Navier-Stokes equations ispresented next, and I find it weak.I prefer the systematic,integral-based approaches found in books by, e.g., Panton and Kundu.Thereis NO discussion of the deformation (a.k.a. strain rate) tensor and theCauchy-Stokes decomposition. There are brief discussions of some standardflows (e.g, potential flow around a cylinder, viscous Poiseuille flow,aerodynamic lift) and a brief discussion of boundary layers.

Theremaining fluid dynamics chapters are on gas dynamics, waves andinstabilities, turbulence, and rotation.The turbulence chapter is thebest short introduction to Kolmogorov's -5/3 law that I've found; a goodpreface to reading the chapter on turbulence in other intro books, or evena dedicated turbulence book like Frisch. The remaining 7 chapters of thebook are on plasma physics, including magnetohydrodynamics (I'm not anexpert here, so I won't comment on them).

The book was favorably reviewedin "Comtemporary Physics" and "Journal of FluidMechanics", both reviewers praising the author's "engagingstyle" but expressing disappointment at the lack of more specialtopics in astrophysics. As long as a reader does not study this book inisolation, though, I think this would be an excellent supplement to his orher studies.I took this book with me on a vacation and enjoyed thereading.

A great book for the beginers.
This book is really going to help those who are interested in Astrophysical Plasma. I have got this book just at the begining of my research career. "The Physics of Fluids and Plasmas"has made aunique attempt,where theories of neutral fluids and plasmas are developedsimultaneously. Mathemetical details is very rare, but it understandable,since the title of this book contains "Introduction". ... Read more

Book Description
Plasma Physics via Computer Simulation provides an unrivalled introduction to the subject with its combination of theory and practical projects.Divided into three main parts, the book guides the reader to an understanding of the basic concepts in this fascinating field of research. Part 1 introduces you to the fundamental concepts of simulation. It examines one-dimensional electrostatic codes and electromagnetic codes, and describes the numerical methods and analysis. Part 2 explores the mathematics and physics behind the algorithms used in Part 1. In Part 3, the authors address some of the more complicated simulations in two and three dimensions. The book introduces projects to encourage practical work using the accompanying CD-ROM. This CD provides plasma modeling and simulation software - the ES1 program - with implementations for PCs and Unix systems along with the original FORTRAN source code.Now available in paperback, Plasma Physics via Computer Simulation is an ideal complement to plasma physics courses and for self-study. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Basics of Computer Simulation of Plasmas
I've never done any computer simulation for plasmas before and was looking for a good introduction to how to go about it. I found this book to be an excellent introduction. Much better than any of the review articles I found on the subject, which tend to be terse. This book goes step by step and walks you through everything that goes into a very basic 1-D electrostatic code. It then tells you how to turn the electrostatic code into an electromagnetic one. The middle section of the book deals with the numerical methods used from a more mathematical standpoint (convergence & stability) and the last part goes into making 2D and 3D codes. I have to admit that I've only read the first part and glanced at the later sections for reference, but so far it's been an excellent reference.

My only complaint is that I wish there were a newer edition. The computational power the book assumes is much less than is currently available and in some ways that complicates the methods that are used. It does, however, teach you to be more efficient. I also found it annoying that the example code is in Fortran. I find it hard to understand Fortran code given the (necessarily) cryptic variable names and weird syntax.

... Read more

Book Description
This rigorous explanation of plasmas is relevant to diverse plasma applications such as controlled fusion, astrophysical plasmas, solar physics, magnetospheric plasmas, and plasma thrusters. More thorough than previous texts, this book exploits powerful new mathematical techniques to develop deeper insights into plasma behavior. After developing the basic plasma equations from first principles, the book explores single particle motion with particular attention to adiabatic invariance. The author then examines types of plasma waves and the issue of Landau damping. Magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium and stability are tackled with emphasis on the topological concepts of magnetic helicity and self-organization. Advanced topics follow, including magnetic reconnection, nonlinear waves, and the Fokker-Planck treatment of collisions. The book concludes by discussing unconventional plasmas such as non-neutral and dusty plasmas. Written for beginning graduate students and advanced undergraduates, this text emphasizes the fundamental principles that apply across many different contexts. ... Read more

Book Description
Based on a graduate course in plasma physics taught at University of California, Davis, this classic book provides a concise overview and a physically-motivated treatment of the major plasma processes which determine the interaction of intense light waves with plasmas. It also includes a discussion of basic plasma concepts, plasma simulation using particle codes, and laser plasma experiments. This is the most elementary book currently available that successfully blends theory, simulation, and experiment, and presents a clear exposition of the major physical processes involved in laser-plasma interactions. This was also the first book on the topic by anyone involved in the United States Laser Fusion Program. Dr. Kruer has more than 30 years of active participation in this field. ... Read more

Book Description

Fundamentals of Plasma Physics is a general introduction designed to present a comprehensive, logical and unified treatment of the fundamentals of plasma physics based on statistical kinetic theory, with applications to a variety of important plasma phenomena. Its clarity and completeness makes the text suitable for self-learning and for self-paced courses.

Customer Reviews (3)

Great Book
I am a PhD student in Electrical Engineering, focussing on plasma physics. I have access to a lot of text books, and normally you find that one book is good for topic A, but not so good for topic B. However, in this book I could find all the topics that were of interest to me (in particular the Boltzmann equation and its moments), well-written and easy to understand.

Calculations are easy to follow and normally are explained by physical explanations using text and figures. The notation is reader-friendly, tensor analysis is avoided by using indices instead.

The book is a text book, so one should not expect the latest and most detailed science results, or derivations "from scratch" (like the BBGKY hierarchy). Instead, the reader should expect a solid and detailed introductory text into plasma physics that covers a large amount of topics.

To conclude, I can only recommend this book to every grad or undergrad student looking for a book to start with, or to brush up on some basics.

Too much math, not enough applications for me
This text was not what I was expecting.My interest is in semiconductors and I was looking for an introductory textbook on the physics underlying different types of plasma processing which could serve as an updated version of Glow Discharge Processes by Chapman.

This text has very little to do with applications and consists largely of page after page of calculus.My interest is in semiconductor processing which is not mentioned in the section on applications: Chapter 1 section 4.

Do not buy this unless your understanding of advanced calculus is very solid.

Plasma Goodness
I'm currently a student working in plasma research facility.I had a problem in the fact that I could not take the plasma physics course that is offered here for scheduling reasons.I therefor needed a book that has all the basics of plasma physics, yet is simple enough that i could teach myself this field of physics.This books is exactly that.For any student with a good background in electricity and magnetism, this book will pick up right from the maxwell equations and derives all the needed equations quite explicitly making the reading much easier to follow.Also, the good thing about this book is the sheer amount of material it covers on the topic.It contains all the basics an undergrade needs to know and even for graduate students, it is a great read.It is well written and never boring.For it's explicitness and it's broadness of topics, I absolutely recomend this book. ... Read more

Book Description

In this book, a distinguished expert introduces plasma physics from the ground up, presenting it as a comprehensible field that can be grasped largely on the basis of physical intuition and qualitative reasoning, similar to other fields of physics. Plasmas are ionized gases that can be found in a hydrogen bomb explosion, the confinement chamber of an experimental fusion reactor, the solar corona, the aurora borealis, the interstellar medium, and the immediate vicinity of a gravitational black hole. Not surprisingly, plasma physics appears to consist of numerous topics arising independently from astrophysics, fusion physics, and other practical applications, and hence it remains a field poorly understood even by many astrophysicists. But, in fact, most of these topics can be approached from the same perspective, with a simple, physical intuition.

Selecting simple examples and presenting them in a simultaneously intuitive and rigorous manner, Russell Kulsrud guides readers through a careful derivation of the results and allows them to think through the physics for themselves. Thus, they are better prepared for complex cases and more general results. The first eleven chapters present topics by their importance to plasma physics while the last three chapters emphasize the field's astrophysical applications, applying the results accrued earlier. Throughout, many problems illustrate the field's applications. Based on a course the author taught for many years, Plasma Physics for Astrophysics is intended for graduate students as well as for working astrophysicists.

Customer Reviews (1)

More on cosmic plasma
This useful text is a companion to the classic, definitive, Cosmic Plasma by Hannes Alfven. It is part of an essential reference library for understanding the role of electricity and magnetism in astrophysical objects. It is a welcome quantitative description of these phenomena in a field characterised by hand-waving and not much science.The Virtue of Heresy: Confessions of a Dissident Astronomer ... Read more

Book Description
This textbook deals with the requirements of space physics. The first part starts with a description of the Earth's plasma environment, followed by a derivation of single particle motions in electromagnetic fields, with applications to the Earth's magnetosphere. Then the origin and effects of collisions and conductivities, formation of the ionosphere, magnetospheric convection and dynamics, and solar wind-magnetosphere coupling are discussed.

The second part of the book presents a more theoretical foundation of plasma physics, starting from kinetic theory. Introducing moments of the distribution function permits derivation of the fluid equations, followed by an analysis of fluid boundaries, with the Earth's magnetopause and bow shock as examples. Finally, fluid and kinetic theory are applied to derive the relevant wave modes in a plasma.

A representative selection of the many space plasma instabilities and relevant aspects of nonlinear theory is given in a companion textbook, Advanced Space Plasma Physics, by the same authors. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Not a bad introductory book
Quite useful tool for students intending to go on in the area of space plasmas, but it is also good reference book for those working in the area, when they need to recall some basic information. However, some parts couldbe treated in more detail, and some parts are not explained in the bestway. And main problem is that some parts should be in different order, thenin third or fourth chapter would need to be coments like: "We willshow it later in the fifth chapter". This might be not a problem for aresearcher in the area who uses the book as a reference tool, however,students who are new in the area, be aware. Overall, it is quiteinteresting reading. ... Read more

Book Description
The Physics of Plasmas provides a comprehensive introduction to the subject, illustrating the basic theory with examples drawn from fusion, space and astrophysical plasmas. Various aspects of plasma physics are discussed, beginning with particle orbit theory, and including fluid equations, a variety of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models, wave equations and kinetic theory. The relationships between these distinct approaches are discussed. In this way, the reader gains a firm grounding in the fundamentals, leading to an understanding of some of the more specialized topics. Throughout the text, there is an emphasis on the physical interpretation of plasma phenomena; Exercises are included.Download Description
The Physics of Plasmas provides a comprehensive introduction to the subject, illustrating the basic theory with examples drawn from fusion, space and astrophysical plasmas. A particular strength of the book is its discussion of the various models used to describe plasma physics and the relationships between them. These include particle orbit theory, fluid equations, ideal and resistive magnetohydrodynamics, wave equations and kinetic theory. The reader will gain a firm grounding in the fundamentals, and develop this into an understanding of some of the more specialised topics. Throughout the text, there is an emphasis on the physical interpretation of plasma phenomena. Exercises are provided throughout. Advanced undergraduate and graduate students of physics, applied mathematics, astronomy and engineering will find a clear but rigorous explanation of the fundamental properties of plasmas with minimal mathematical formality. This book will also appeal to research physicists, nuclear and electrical engineers. ... Read more

Book Description

Space is a large natural plasma laboratory offering a wealth of phenomena which range from the simple to the highly complex and non-linear. This book begins with an introduction to basic principles such as single-particle motion, magnetohydrodynamics and plasma waves. It incorporates these concepts into an analysis of complex phenomena including the sun and solar activity, shocks, interplanetary space and magnetospheres, and finally the interaction between these entities in solar-terrestrial relationships. In all these subfields of space research, special attention is paid to energetic particles. The book concludes with a brief chapter on instrumentation. In this third edition, numerous examples have been added to illustrate the basic concepts and aid the reader in applying such concepts to real world physics. In addition, recent observations (ACE, TRACE, Wind) have been included. The chapter on solar-terrestrial relationships has been expanded to introduce the current research topic of Space Weather.

Book Description
Ionospheres provides a comprehensive description of the physical, plasma and chemical processes controlling the behavior of ionospheres. The relevant transport equations and related coefficients are derived in detail and their applicability and limitations are described. Relevant wave processes are outlined and important ion chemical processes and reaction rates are presented. The various energy deposition and transfer mechanisms are described in some detail, and a chapter is devoted to the various processes controlling the upper atmosphere and exosphere. The second half of the book presents our current understanding of the structure, chemistry, dynamics and energetics of the terrestrial ionosphere, and other solar system bodies. The final chapter describes ionospheric measurement techniques. The book will form a comprehensive and lasting reference for scientists interested in ionospheres, and it will also prove an ideal textbook for graduate students. It contains extensive student problem sets, and an answer book is available for instructors. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An invaluable textbook
For anyone who's at Postgrad or Postdoc level, this book is an invaluable addition to your library.Undergraduates may struggle with some of it, but I'm sure that any bright student could pick it up because it's written in clear, concise language.My only gripe is that the production quality of this paperback isn't what it should be for the money & I really wish I had bought the hardback version. ... Read more

Book Description
This problems supplement to plasma physics textbooks covers plasma theory for both science and technology.
Written by a renowned plasma scientist, experienced book author and skilled teacher, it treats all aspects of plasma theory in no fewer than 520 very detailed worked-out problems. With this systematic collection the reader will gain a sound understanding of plasma physics in all fields, from fusion and astrophysics to surface treatment. The book also includes the transport of particles as well as radiation in plasmas, and while designed for graduate students and young researchers, it can equally serve as a reference. ... Read more

Book Description
The second volume of the introductory text on Space Plasma Physics.Extends the material to the more advanced fields of plasma instabilitiesand nonlinear effects. ... Read more