Plasma waves and some kinetic theory. Waves in cold plasmas. Cold dielectric tensor. Oscillations in a bounded plasma. Ray tracing. Reflection, absorption and emission processes. Collisionless absorption mechanisms: Landau damping, cyclotron damping and TTMP damping. Kramers-Kronig´s and Onsager’s relations. Emission of waves. Larmor formula.
FED3240 Plasma Waves I 8.0 credits

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Course syllabus as PDF
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Course syllabus FED3240 (Spring 2012–)Content and learning outcomes
Course contents
Intended learning outcomes
To provide the theoretical basis for waves appearing in plasmas, including their propagation and absorption. When completing the course, the student should be able to
- Derive the dispersion relation for waves in cold plasmas
- Characterize the most common cold plasma waves
- Be familiar with the CMA diagram
- Solve wave equation in a planar geometry with WKB
- Describe how to treat the plasma response and basic properties of the response tensor
- Describe how to calculate wave propagation with the ray tracing method
- Describe the collisionless absorption mechanisms in a plasma
- Describe how the emission and absorption processes are related
Literature and preparations
Specific prerequisites
Literature
Lecture notes
Parts of the following, or similar, literature:T.H. Stix,Waves in Plasmas, American Institute of Physics, New York, 1992. Chapters 1-4, 11
D.B. Melrose and R. C. McPhedran,Electromagnetic Processes in Dispersive Media,Cambridge University Press 1991. Chapters 6-7, 11, 15-16, 18.
Examination and completion
Grading scale
Examination
Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.
The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.
If the course is discontinued, students may request to be examined during the following two academic years.
Other requirements for final grade
Assignments, written and final oral examination.
Examiner
Ethical approach
- All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
- In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
- In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.