Plasma Astrophysics, Part I: Fundamentals and Practice (Astrophysics and Space Science Library Book 391)

This two-part book is devoted to classic fundamentals and current practices and perspectives of modern plasma astrophysics. This first part uniquely covers all the basic principles and practical tools required for understanding and work in plasma astrophysics. More than 25% of the text is updated from the first edition, including new figures, equations and entire sections on topics such as magnetic reconnection and the Grad-Shafranov equation. The book is aimed at professional researchers in astrophysics, but it will also be useful to graduate students in space sciences, geophysics, applied physics and mathematics, especially those seeking a unified view of plasma physics and fluid mechanics. Front Matter....Pages i-xxvi Particles and Fields: Exact Self-consistent Description....Pages 1-17 Statistical Description of Interacting Particle Systems....Pages 19-36 Weakly-Coupled Systems with Binary Collisions....Pages 37-57 Propagation of Fast Particles in Plasma....Pages 59-85 Motion of a Charged Particle in Given Fields....Pages 87-113 Adiabatic Invariants in Astrophysical Plasma....Pages 115-127 Wave-Particle Interaction in Astrophysical Plasma....Pages 129-146 Coulomb Collisions in Astrophysical Plasma....Pages 147-180 Macroscopic Description of Astrophysical Plasma....Pages 181-210 Multi-Fluid Models of Astrophysical Plasma....Pages 211-221 The Generalized Ohm’s Law in Plasma....Pages 223-236 Single-Fluid Models for Astrophysical Plasma....Pages 237-262 Magnetohydrodynamics in Astrophysics....Pages 263-283 Plasma Flows in a Strong Magnetic Field....Pages 285-306 MHD Waves in Astrophysical Plasma....Pages 307-332 Discontinuous Flows in a MHD Medium....Pages 333-361 Evolutionarity of MHD Discontinuities....Pages 363-386 Particle Acceleration by Shock Waves....Pages 387-401 Plasma Equilibrium in Magnetic Field....Pages 403-427 Stationary Flows in a Magnetic Field....Pages 429-453 Back Matter....Pages 455-498 Annotation This two-part book is devoted to classic fundamentals and current practices and perspectives of modern plasma astrophysics. This second part discusses the physics of magnetic reconnection and flares of electromagnetic origin in space plasmas in the solar system, single and double stars, relativistic objects, accretion disks and their coronae. More than 25% of the text is updated from the first edition, included the additions of new figures, equations and entire sections on topics such as topological triggers for solar flares and the magnetospheric physics problem. This book is aimed at professional researchers in astrophysics, but it will also be useful to graduate students in space sciences, geophysics, applied physics and mathematics, especially those seeking a unified view of plasma physics and fluid mechanics This two-part book is devoted to classic fundamentals and current practices and perspectives of modern plasma astrophysics. This second part discusses the physics of magnetic reconnection and flares of electromagnetic origin in space plasmas in the solar system, single and double stars, relativistic objects, accretion disks and their coronae. More than 25% of the text is updated from the first edition, including the additions of new figures, equations and entire sections on topics such as topological triggers for solar flares and the magnetospheric physics problem. This book is aimed at professional researchers in astrophysics, but it will also be useful to graduate students in space sciences, geophysics, applied physics and mathematics, especially those seeking a unified view of plasma physics and fluid mechanics.