Kinetic theory of relativistic plasmas

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1981 · Phys. Fluids; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.863226· OSTI ID:6653506

Gould, R J

The thermalization of particle kinetic motion by binary collisions is considered for a plasma with kTapprox.(10--100) mc/sup 2/, where m is the electron mass. At this temperature, the principal mechanism for relaxation of electron motion is via radiationless electron-electron collisions (Moller scattering). Ions are nonrelativistic, but are energetic enough so that their Coulomb scattering can be treated in the Born approximation. Relaxation times are computed and Boltzmann-equation Fokker--Planck operators are derived for the various binary-collision processes. The expression for the rate of kinetic energy exchange between electron and ion gases is derived for the case where the gases are at different temperatures.

• Research Organization: Department of Physics, University of California, La Jolla, California 92093
• OSTI ID: 6653506
• Journal Information: Phys. Fluids; (United States), Vol. 24:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
PLASMA
KINETICS
RELATIVISTIC RANGE
BOLTZMANN EQUATION
BORN APPROXIMATION
ELECTRON-ELECTRON COLLISIONS
FOKKER-PLANCK EQUATION
ION COLLISIONS
COLLISIONS
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
ELECTRON COLLISIONS
ENERGY RANGE
EQUATIONS
700105* - Fusion Energy- Plasma Research- Plasma Kinetics-Theoretical- (-1987)