Plasma parameter: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 16:23, 7 January 2014

Revision as of 15:30, 3 July 2014

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:<math> \epsilon_p = \Lambda^{-1}\ </math>.

== Coupling parameter ==

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Here, ''s'' stands for either electrons or (a type of) ions.

== The ideal plasma approximation ==

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Depending on the magnitude of Λ, plasma properties can be characterized as following:<ref>See [http://farside.ph.utexas.edu/teaching/plasma/lectures/node8.html The plasma parameter] lecture notes from Richard Fitzpatrick</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|-

<table class="wikitable">

! rowspan=2 valign=bottom | Description

<tr bgcolor=#eeeeee align=center><td rowspan=2 valign=bottom>'''Description'''</td><td colspan=2>'''Plasma parameter magnitude'''</td></tr>

! colspan=2 | Plasma parameter magnitude

<tr bgcolor=#eeeeee align=center><td><math>\Lambda \ll 1 ~ (\Gamma \gg 1)</math></td><td><math>\Lambda \gg 1 ~ (\Gamma \ll 1)</math></td></tr>

|-

<tr align=center><td bgcolor=#eeeeee>'''Coupling'''</td><td>Strongly coupled plasma</td><td>Weakly coupled plasma</td></tr>

<tr! bgcolor=#eeeeee align=center><td><math>\Lambda \ll 1 ~ (\Gamma \gg 1)</math></td><td> || <math>\Lambda \gg 1 ~ (\Gamma \ll 1)</math></td></tr>

<tr align=center><td bgcolor=#eeeeee>'''Debye sphere'''</td><td>Sparsely populated</td><td>Densely populated</td></tr>

|-

<tr align=center><td bgcolor=#eeeeee>'''Electrostatic influence'''</td><td>Almost continuously</td><td>Occasional</td></tr>

!Coupling

<tr align=center><td bgcolor=#eeeeee>'''Typical characteristic'''</td><td>Cold and dense</td><td>Hot and diffuse</td></tr>

| Strongly coupled plasma || Weakly coupled plasma

<tr align=center><td bgcolor=#eeeeee>'''Examples'''</td><td>Solid-density laser ablation plasmas<br>Very "cold" "high pressure" arc discharge<br>Inertial fusion experiments<br>White dwarfs / neutron stars atmospheres</td><td>Ionospheric physics<br>Magnetic fusion devices<br>Space plasma physics<br>Plasma ball</td></tr>

|-

</table>

! Debye sphere

| Sparsely populated || Densely populated

|-

! Electrostatic influence

| Almost continuously || Occasional

|-

! Typical characteristic

| Cold and dense || Hot and diffuse

|-

! Examples

<tr| align=center><td bgcolor=#eeeeee>'''Examples'''</td><td>Solid-density laser ablation plasmas<br>Very "cold" "high pressure" arc discharge<br>Inertial fusion experiments<br>White dwarfs / neutron stars atmospheres</td><td> || Ionospheric physics<br>Magnetic fusion devices<br>Space plasma physics<br>Plasma ball</td></tr>

|}

==References==