Plasma astrophysics : lectures helad at the Astrophysics School VII organized by the European Astrophysics Doctoral Network (EADN) in San Miniato, Italy, 4-14 October 1994

The Book Contains The Notes Of The Lectures Presented By Outstanding Experts At The 7th Eadn School On Plasma Astrophysics. It Is An Up-to-date Review Of A Number Of Basic Topics In The Physics Of Cosmic Plasmas. The Subject Is Treated Both From A Theoretical Point Of View And From That Of The Observational And Diagnostic Tools That Provide Us With The Physically Relevant Data. The Reader Will Have At Hands A Comprehensive And Rather Complete Presentation Of The Subject, Thanks Also To The Parallel Development Of The Theoretical And Experimental Aspects. The Book Addresses Graduate Students And Researchers In Different Areas Who Want To Have A Rapid And Up-to-date Introduction To This Subject. From The Contents: Resistive And Collisionless Magnetic Reconnection -- Rotating Mhd Winds -- Particle Acceleration.-turbulence, Statistics And Structures: An Introduction -- Radio Astronomical Diagnostics -- Spectroscopic Diagnostics Of Astrophysical Plasmas -- Hot Plasmas In Space: X-ray Diagnostics Instrumentation. Claudio Chiuderi, Giorgio Einaudi, Eds. Includes Bibliographical References. Resistive and collisionless magnetic reconnection....Pages 1-29 Rotating MHD winds....Pages 31-99 Particle acceleration....Pages 101-162 Turbulence, statistics and structures: an introduction....Pages 163-212 Radio astronomical diagnostics....Pages 213-240 Spectroscopic diagnostics of astrophysical plasmas....Pages 241-283 Hot plasmas in space: X-ray diagnostic instrumentation....Pages 285-326 This work contains the lectures notes from the 7th EADN School on plasma astrophysics. It reviews a number of topics in the physics of cosmic plasmas. The subject is treated both from a theoretical point of view and from that of the observational/diagnostic tools that provide the data.