Basic Plasma Physics

This volume is designed to serve as an introductory compact textbook for advanced undergraduate, postgraduate and research students taking plasma physics as one of their subject of study for the first time. It covers the current syllabus of plasma physics offered by the most universities and technical institutions. The book requires no background in plasma physics but only elementary knowledge of basic physics and mathematics. Emphasis has been given on the analytical approach. Topics are developed from first principle so that the students can learn through self-study. One chapter has been devoted to describe some practical aspects of plasma physics. Each chapter contains a good number of solved and unsolved problems and a variety of review questions, mostly taken from recent examination papers. Some classroom experiments described in the book will surely help students as well as instructors.

Preface. Introductory. Basic Plasma Characteristics. Orbit Theory of Plasma. Fluid Description of Plasmas. Waves in Plasmas. Kinetic Theory of Plasma. Transport Processes in Plasmas. Stability of Fluid Plasma. Nonlinear Effects in Plasma. Plasma through Experiments. Some Elementary Class-room Experiments. Appendixes. Index.