TLÜ ÕIS

Basics of Plasma Physics

Course code

MLF7011.LT

old course code

MLF7011

Course title in Estonian

Plasmafüüsika alused

Course title in English

Basics of Plasma Physics

ECTS credits

4.0

Assessment form

Examination

lecturer of 2025/2026 Spring semester

Not opened for teaching. Click the study programme link below to see the nominal division schedule.

lecturer of 2026/2027 Autumn semester

Not opened for teaching. Click the study programme link below to see the nominal division schedule.

Course aims

Definition of plasma, types of plasma. Quantities characterizing plasma: frequencies, Debye radius, Landau distance. Thermonuclear reactions, plasma magnetic confinement. Cyclotron motion, plasma drift. Basics of plasma kinetic theory, Boltzmann equation, Vlassov equation. Magnetohydrodynamic treatment of plasma. Alfven waves. Magneto-hydrodynamic equations.
Applications of plasma theory in fusion devices and low-temperature plasma devices. Astrophysical plasmas. Planetary magnetic fields, Earth's magnetosphere and plasmas surrounding the Earth.

Brief description of the course

Definition and types of plasma. Characterizing quantities: frequencies, Debye radius, Landau distance. Fusion of nuclei. Magnetic confinement. Cyclotron motion, plasma drift. Basics of the kinetic theory of plasma, Boltzmann equation, Vlassov equation. Magneto-hydrodynamical theory of plasma. Alfven waves, magneto-hydrodynamical equations. Plasma in TOKAMAK, astrophysical plasma, planetary magnetic field, plasmas of the magnetosphere.

Learning outcomes in the course

Upon completing the course the student:
- understands the basic problems of high-temperature plasma physics and their theories;
- can apply the disciplines of classical physics in an integrated manner in solving plasma physics problems
- can relate the applications of modern plasma physics to everyday life, other natural sciences and school physics;
- is able to prepare analytical reviews on a professional topic based on foreign language literature and explain relevant phenomena based on the basic principles of physics and their underlying observations and experiments.

Teacher

PhD Tõnu Laas

Prerequisite course 1

Electromagnetism (MLF6005.LT)

Study programmes containing that course