Expansion of the relativistic Fokker-Planck equation including non-linear terms and a non-Maxwellian background

Journal Article · Tue Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1997 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.872227· OSTI ID:530112

Shkarofsky, I P ^[1]

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1. Centre Canadien de Fusion Magnetique, Varennes, Quebec, J3X1S1 (CANADA)

The relativistic Fokker-Planck collision term in Braams and Karney [Phys. Fluids B {bold 1}, 1355 (1989)] is expanded using Cartesian tensors (equivalent to associated Legendre spherical harmonics) retaining all non-linear terms and an arbitrary zeroth order distribution background. Expressions are given for collision terms between all harmonics and the background distribution in terms of the j and y functions in Braams and Karney. The results reduce to Braams and Karney for the first order harmonic term with a Maxwellian background and to those given by Shkarofsky [Can. J. Phys. {bold 41}, 1753 (1963)] in the non-relativistic limit. Expressions for the energy and momentum transfer associated with relativistic Coulomb collisions are given. The fast two dimensional Fokker-Planck solver in Shoucri and Shkarofsky [Comput. Phys. Commun. {bold 82}, 287 (1994)] has been extended to include the second order harmonic term. {copyright} {ital 1997 American Institute of Physics.}

• OSTI ID: 530112
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 4; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ENERGY TRANSFER
FOKKER-PLANCK EQUATION
HARMONICS
MOMENTUM TRANSFER
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
RELATIVISTIC PLASMA
SERIES EXPANSION