Fall Term 2002

Introduction to Plasma Physics I

22.611J, 6.651J, 8.613J
FINALEXAM
1. Short Answer (18 points)
(a) Write the formulas for the electron plasma frequency and the ion plasma frequency (be
suretoincludeanydependenceonioniccharge,Z
i
). Youmayusetheexpressionforthe
square if so noted.
(b) Write the formula for the ion cyclotron frequency.
(c) Write the formulas for the electron Debye length and the ion Debye length.
(d) True or False. The Vlasovequation describes an incompressibleow in phase space.
(e) True or False. The Vlasov equation describes the conservation of particles in self con-
sistent phase space ow.
(f) Tr
R
ue or False. The Vlasov equation describes a uid whose uid dynamic ow, V =
1
d
3
vvf, is incompressible, V= 0.
n
R
(g) True or False. The Vlasovequation conserves entropy, S = d
3
vflnf.
(h) True or False. The Vlasov equation is reversible.
(i) True or False. The Vlasov equation relaxes a (spatially homogeneous) distribution to
the Maxwellian velocity dependence for long times, t.
2. WaveEnergyandDissipation(10points): Thedielectricresponsefunction,(k, ), for
a given problem is an analytic function of frequency, . Show how to calculate the real and
imaginarypartsofthefrequency,=
r
+i,assumingthatthegrowth/dampingrate, , is
smallcomparedtotherealfrequency,
r
,using only the knowledge of the dielectric function,
(k,
r
), for real frequencies. Give a physical interpretation of your result in terms of wave
energy and dissipation. Evaluate the (weak) dissipation for the dielectric given in equation
(1) below.
3. ElectronBeam Instabilities (32 points): Consideranelectronionplasmacreatedbyin-
jecting2electronbeamsatenergiesofE
b1
= 10KeV andE
b2
=100KeV intoaT
e
'1KeV
plasma (you may consider the ions to be cold and at rest dynamically). Assume that each
beam has a temperature" spread in energy about its mean value of, T
b
'1 KeV, and that
both beams have similiar densities that are small compared to the background plasma elec-
tron density. The distribution is shown schematically inthe drawing with labels attached to
various features of the distribution function.
1
Evaluate the labels, v
e
, v
b
, U
b1
, U
b2
shown on the drawing and indicate which quantities, if
any, are equal. You may take, v
m1
= U
b1
v
b
, and, v
m2
= U
b2
v
b
, where the quantity,
,canbetreatedasanorderunityconstantforthecalculationsbelow(andifyouhavetime
after the rest of exam is done, you can evaluate, , to get a perfect score on this portion of
exam!). You may assume positive wavenumber, k, throughout.
Indicate any phase velocity range (or ranges) where unstable waves exist. Write down any
inequalities that characterize these modes (i.e. relations such as, /k v
b
, although this
particular relation may not be relevant). Calculate the (dimensionless) wave energy and
growth rate of the most unstable mode in each band (you may assume weak dissipation).
Leading order calculations are acceptable in all cases. Recall that the dielectric response
function is given by,

2
Z
pe
1 dF
(k, ) = 1
k
2
du
u/k du
(1)
Z
L
1 = du F(u)
Whichmode dominates for long times in the linear regime?
4. Ion Acoustic Waves (15 points): Start from the collisionless dielectric function for an
electron-ion plasma in thermal equilibrium,

kv
e

kv
i

+
1

1
(k, ) = 1 +
k
2

2
1 +
kv
i k
2

2
1 +
kv
e
i e
Z
e
t
2
1
Z() dt

L
t
2
where,
i
,
e
, v
i
=
p
2T
i
/m
i
, v
e
=
p
2T
e
/m
e
, are the usual Debye lengths and thermal
velocities, and show that for waves in the range, v
i
/k v
e
, the reactive dielectric
response can be written,
1

2
pi

R
(k, )'1 +
k
2

2
e
Thenshowthatforlongwavelengthwaves,k
2

2
e
1,thisleadstotheionacousticdispersion
relation,
2

2
'k
2
c
s
with, c
2
s
=T
e
/m
i
. Show that these wave are quasineutral (for, k
2

2
1).
e
5. Ion-electron collisions (10 points): The energy exchange portion of the electron-ion
collision operator can be written, for Maxwellian ions, as,

C
E
m
e
3
1 T
i
1
ei
(f
e
) =
ei
2m
i
v
e
v
2
v
+
m
e
v
2
v vv

f
e
(2)
R
2
m
e
v
2
, of this operator, for Maxwellian electrons, gives, The energy moment, d
3
v
1
r
m
e
2

ei
n(T
e
T
i
)
m
i

Now consider the ion-electron collision operator, C

ie
(f
i
, f
e
). Use a fundamental property
of the collision operator to write down or derive an expression for the energy moment,
R
2
m
i
v
2
, of the ion-electron collision operator, C
ie
(f
i
, f
e
), assuming Maxwellian distri- d
3
v
1
butions for both ions and electrons. State explicitly the collision operator property that you
used and discuss the physical implications of the result you have derived.
6. Thermal Equilibrium (15 points):
(a) (5 points) Show that the Maxwellian velocity distribution is the result of maximizing
the entropy,
Z
S = d
3
vflnf
R
subject to the constraints of xed particle number, n= d
3
vf, and xed energy, E =
R
d
3
v
1
2
mv
2
f.
R
(b) (5 points) What is the eect on the entropy, S = d
3
vflnf, when the distribution
evolves according to,
f
=C(f, f)
t
where the Coulomb collision operator is givenby,
Z
C(f, f) =

d
3
v
0
U(vv
0
)

v
0

f(v)f

v
0

v v
with,
1
U(vv
0
) =
|vv
0
|

I
(vv
0
) (vv
0
)

|vv
0
|
2
2q
4
ln
=
m
2
3
(c) (5 points) Show that, with the energy collision operator, C
E
ei
(f
e
), given by equation
(2), the steady state solution to,
f
e
=C
E
t
ei
(f
e
)
is given uniquely by,
f
e
(v) = const.exp

1
m
e
v
2
/T
i

2
Discuss in physical terms the two processes described by equation (2) that balance to
give this thermal equilibrium state.
4