Kinetic Theory Of Particles And Photons: Theoretical Foundations Of Non-lte Plasma Spectroscopy (springer Series In Electronics And Photonics)

Many laboratory and astrophysical plasmas show deviations from local ther­ modynamic equilibrium (LTE). This monograph develops non-LTE plasma spectroscopy as a kinetic theory of particles and photons, considering the radiation field as a photon gas whose distribution function (the radiation in­ tensity) obeys a kinetic equation (the radiative transfer equation), just as the distribution functions of particles obey kinetic equations. Such a unified ap­ proach provides clear insight into the physics of non-LTE plasmas. Chapter 1 treats the principle of detailed balance, of central importance for understanding the non-LTE effects in plasmas. Chapters 2, 3 deal with kinetic equations of particles and photons, respectively, followed by a chapter on the fluid description of gases with radiative interactions. Chapter 5 is devoted to the H theorem, and closes the more general first part of the book. The last two chapters deal with more specific topics. After briefly discuss­ ing optically thin plasmas, Chap. 6 treats non-LTE line transfer by two-level atoms, the line profile coefficients of three-level atoms, and non-Maxwellian electron distribution functions. Chapter 7 discusses topics where momentum exchange between matter and radiation is crucial: the approach to thermal equilibrium through interaction with blackbody radiation, radiative forces, and Compton scattering. A number of appendices have been added to make the book self-contained and to treat more special questions. In particular, Appendix B contains an in­ troductory discussion of atomic line profile coefficients. Front Matter....Pages I-XII Thermal Equilibrium and Detailed Balance....Pages 1-34 Kinetic Equations of Particles....Pages 35-65 The Kinetic Equation of Photons....Pages 66-86 Moment Equations and Fluid Description....Pages 87-126 H Theorem for Gases and Radiation....Pages 127-148 Energy Exchange Between Matter and Radiation....Pages 149-239 Momentum Exchange Between Matter and Radiation....Pages 240-273 Appendices....Pages 274-343 Back Matter....Pages 345-356