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Revised formulation of the kinetic plasma theory

Journal Article · · International Journal of Electronics
 [1]
  1. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Using the Maxwellian macroscopic approach and analysing the formulation of the dielectric constant, it is shown that the concept of energy has not been properly incorporated into the current kinetic plasma theory. The difficulties are due to the Boltzmann collisional term (∂F/∂t)coll which accounts for a change in the velocity distribution due to collisions alone. If one attempts to rephrase the Boltzmann-Vlasov theory in terms of the Maxwellian macroscopic formulation, one obtains an expression for energy which is not consistent with the meaning of this concept in generalized dynamics. In a revised version developed in this analysis the Boltzmann collisional term has been eliminated and an appropriate collisional operator is introduced which is believed to describe more adequately collisional processes in a plasma. Here, it is assumed that the collisional operator can be applied directly to the electrical intensity of the field interacting with the plasma and is effective in transforming the intensity in a collisionless plasma into a corresponding intensity in a collisional plasma. At the same time the relationship between the electron velocity distribution function and the field intensity is considered to be the same, whether there are collisions or not. In other words, not only a collisionless but also a collisional plasma are assumed to be controlled by a Vlasov type mechanism which does not take into account explicitly the Boltzmann term (∂F/∂t)coll.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)
Grant/Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-26
NSA Number:
NSA-24-017923
OSTI ID:
4167512
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 4754990
Report Number(s):
ORNL--4474
Journal Information:
International Journal of Electronics, Journal Name: International Journal of Electronics Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 27; ISSN 1362-3060; ISSN 0020-7217
Publisher:
Informa UK LimitedCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (3)

Space Dispersive Properties of Plasma journal July 1961
A Model for Collision Processes in Gases. I. Small Amplitude Processes in Charged and Neutral One-Component Systems journal May 1954
Density Effect in Ionization Energy Loss of Charged Particles journal August 1955