Elementary Plasma Physics | Lev A. Arzimovich

Plasma physics, the study of highly ionized gases, possesses exceedingly interesting properties that are being increasingly applied to the solution of important problems of modern technology and applied sciences. Thus the basic properties of plasma are of major interest to the general reader. However, most present-day books employ extremely complex mathematical tools and require a good preparation in modern theoretical physics.

This book attempts to interpret the fundamentals of plasma physics in a manner understandable to a reader with a highschool knowledge of mathematics and physics. This does not imply, however, that the material is presented in a predigested form—for assimilation without thought. The book discusses not only the various plasma processes but also the methods of analysis of such processes. By becoming familiar with these methods, the reader will be able to attain a genuine understanding of the physical significance of the phenomena involved.

Translated from the Russian by Scripta Technica