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Plasma Astrophysics, Part II

Reconnection and Flares

  • Book
  • © 2007

Overview

Authors:
  1. Boris V. Somov

    1. Astronomical Institute and Faculty of Physics, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia

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  • In the book, brief historical remarks demonstrate that the outstanding discoveries in cosmic physics were by no means governed by chance
  • Distinguishing feature of the proposed book is the consecutive consideration of physical principles, starting from the most general ones (the first principles), and of the simplifying assumptions which give us more simpler descriptions of plasma under cosmic conditions

Part of the book series: Astrophysics and Space Science Library (ASSL, volume 341)

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Table of contents (37 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xxvi
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  2. Plasma Astrophysics

    Pages 1-2

  3. Particles and Fields: Exact Self-Consistent Description

    Pages 3-18

  4. Statistical Description of Interacting Particle Systems

    Pages 19-33

  5. Weakly-Coupled Systems with Binary Collisions

    Pages 35-53

  6. Propagation of Fast Particles in Plasma

    Pages 55-77

  7. Motion of a Charged Particle in Given Fields

    Pages 79-102

  8. Adiabatic Invariants in Astrophysical Plasma

    Pages 103-114

  9. Wave-Particle Interaction in Astrophysical Plasma

    Pages 115-132

  10. Coulomb Collisions in Astrophysical Plasma

    Pages 133-161

  11. Macroscopic Description of Astrophysical Plasma

    Pages 163-181

  12. Multi-Fluid Models of Astrophysical Plasma

    Pages 183-192

  13. The Generalized Ohm’s Law in Plasma

    Pages 193-204

  14. Single-Fluid Models for Astrophysical Plasma

    Pages 205-222

  15. Magnetohydrodynamics in Astrophysics

    Pages 223-241

  16. Plasma Flows in a Strong Magnetic Field

    Pages 243-262

  17. MHD Waves in Astrophysical Plasma

    Pages 263-275

  18. Discontinuous Flows in a MHD Medium

    Pages 277-303

  19. Evolutionarity of MHD Discontinuities

    Pages 305-326

  20. Particle Acceleration by Shock Waves

    Pages 327-341
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Keywords

About this book

Magnetic ?elds are easily generated in astrophysical plasma owing to its ?6 high conductivity. Magnetic ?elds, having strengths of order few 10 G, correlated on several kiloparsec scales are seen in spiral galaxies. Their origin could be due to ampli?cation of a small seed ?eld by a turbulent galactic dynamo. In several galaxies, like the famous M51, magnetic ?elds are well correlated (or anti-correlated) with the optical spiral arms. These are the weakest large-scale ?elds observed in cosmic space. The strongest magnets in space are presumably the so-called magnetars, the highly mag- 15 netized (with the strength of the ?eld of about 10 G) young neutron stars formed in the supernova explosions. The energy of magnetic ?elds is accumulated in astrophysical plasma, and the sudden release of this energy – an original electrodynamical ‘burst’ or‘explosion’–takesplaceunderde?nitebutquitegeneralconditions(P- att, 1992; Sturrock, 1994; Kivelson and Russell, 1995; Rose, 1998; Priest and Forbes, 2000; Somov, 2000; Kundt, 2001). Such a ‘?are’ in ast- physical plasma is accompanied by fast directed ejections (jets) of plasma, powerful ?ows of heat and hard electromagnetic radiation as well as by impulsive acceleration of charged particles to high energies.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Astronomical Institute and Faculty of Physics, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia

    Boris V. Somov

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