Computational Methods for Kinetic Models of Magnetically Confined Plasmas

Killeen, J.; Kerbel, G.D.; McCoy, M.G.; Mirin, A.A.

ISBN 10: 0387134018 / ISBN 13: 9780387134017

Published by Springer Verlag, New York, 1986

About this Item

8vo, 6-1/4" x 9-1/2". vii + 199pp. Perfect case bound book in printed orange cloth-covered boards. Light shelf wear to cover; spine somewhat faded, but title &c. remains bright and fully legible. Front end paper improperly glued, and is lifting from the inside of the cover. End paper entirely lacking, an apparent binding flaw. Binding, however, remains sound and tight. Previous owner's name in ink on front free end paper, otherwise pages are clean and bright and unmarked.

Seller Inventory # 002377

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Computational Methods for Kinetic Models of Magnetically Confined Plasmas
• Publisher: Springer Verlag, New York
• Publication Date: 1986
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0387134018
• ISBN 13: 9780387134017
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Very Good
• Seller catalogs:
  • Science + Technical

About this title

Synopsis

Because magnetically confined plasmas are generally not found in a state of thermodynamic equilibrium, they have been studied extensively with methods of applied kinetic theory. In closed magnetic field line confinement devices such as the tokamak, non-Maxwellian distortions usually occur as a result of auxiliary heating and transport. In magnetic mirror configurations even the intended steady state plasma is far from local thermodynamic equilibrium because of losses along open magnetic field lines. In both of these major fusion devices, kinetic models based on the Boltzmann equation with Fokker-Planck collision terms have been successful in representing plasma behavior. The heating of plasmas by energetic neutral beams or microwaves, the production and thermalization of a-particles in thermonuclear reactor plasmas, the study of runaway electrons in tokamaks, and the performance of two-energy compo­ nent fusion reactors are some examples of processes in which the solution of kinetic equations is appropriate and, moreover, generally necessary for an understanding of the plasma dynamics. Ultimately, the problem is to solve a nonlinear partial differential equation for the distribution function of each charged plasma species in terms of six phase space variables and time. The dimensionality of the problem may be reduced through imposing certain symmetry conditions. For example, fewer spatial dimensions are needed if either the magnetic field is taken to be uniform or the magnetic field inhomogeneity enters principally through its variation along the direction of the field.