Plasma Electrons are free! … A fourth state of matter: Not gas, not liquid, not solid!
History, Terminology, & Discovery
• First identified by Sir William Crookes (1879)
• Termed by Irving Langmuir
• Ionosphere identified as plasma
• Van Allen Belts (1958)
Types of PlasmaArtificially Induced• Fluorescent lamps• Neon Signs• Plasma televisions• Electric arcs (i.e. those created
by a Marx generator,etc.)• Laser-Produced Plasmas (LPP)• Rocket exhaust• Ion Thrusters
Terrestrial & Astrophysical• Stars (Sun)• Ionosphere• Aurora Borealis• Lightning• Most fires• TLE
Plasma: A Fourth State of Matter
• Ionized “gas”• Most are quasi-neutral• Said: ~99% of matter• Affected by E&M waves
Characteristics
• Electron density: • Temperature: • Molecular Content• Electron Plasma Frequency:• Debye Length:
e
ep m
en
0
22
1 pD m
T
2
3
1vmT
en
Plasma PhysicsStatistics, Mathematics, the Most General Case
• Maxwell-Boltzmann Distribution: particle density distribution
• Fluid Mechanics: Three particle, nonviscous intermingled fluids coupled through their equations of state and collision frequencies
• Maxwell’s Equations:
dAnt
DILdH
t
D
cJH
dAnt
BLdE
t
BE
dAnBB
QdAnDD
;1
;
0;0
;
2
Wave Propagation• Wave propagation
highly dependent on electron plasma frequency: If then the wave
propagates through If then the wave is
deflected
p
• Propagation constant:
Approaches free space value: Turns imaginaryp
2/1
2
2
1
p
ck
ck /
Deflection Case:• Fields vary exponentially • Phase-variation terms decay exponentially (the wave will decay as it propagates)• e.g. Ionosphere reflects E&M radiation with frequency less than its plasma frequency
rki exp
Example: If lightning were to propagate toward the ionosphere would it be deflected? Why or Why not?
• Ionosphere:
17
312
sec106
10
p
e mn
113
324
sec106
10
p
e mn
• Lightning:
Answer: It will not be deflected as its frequency is larger than that of the ionosphere
References• 1909, who valued professional, financial success as well as scientific inquiry, accomplishment, his
summer position stretched into a lifelong career. He became known among his colleagues for his analytical mind, creativity, ambition, and excellent research skills.. "Irving Langmuir." Ziggo. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 July 2010. http://members.home.nl/arjen.boogaard/Irving%20Langmuir.html.
• "Brief History of Plasma Physics." Home Page for Richard Fitzpatrick . N.p., n.d. Web. 1 July 2010.http://farside.ph.utexas.edu/teaching/plasma/lectures/node5.html.
• "Fields & Waves I v2." Plasma Dynamics Lab. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 July 2010. http://hibp.ecse.rpi.edu/~connnor/education/Fields/F09/.
• "Plasma (physics)." 2008/9 Wikipedia Selection for schools. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 July 2010. http://schools-wikipedia.org/wp/p/Plasma_%2528physics%2529.htm.
• "Plasma Physics -- History." NASA Polar, Wind, and Geotail Projects. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 June 2010. http://www-spof.gsfc.nasa.gov/Education/whplasma.html.
• "Plasma Physics." National Ignition Facility & Photon Science. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 July 2010.https://lasers.llnl.gov/programs/science_at_the_extremes/plasma_physics/.
• Riegel, ron. "Irving Langmuir - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 June 2010.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irving_Langmuir.
• Uman, Martin A. Introduction to Plasma Physics. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1964. Print.