Kinetic theory of collisions and transport—I. Fully-ionized plasmas

Abstract

Abstract This chapter explores the kinetic theory of collisions and transport for fully-ionized plasmas. It first derives the Fokker–Planck collision equation analyzed in previous chapters by presenting them in two commonly used forms—the Landau form, and the form in terms of Rosenbluth potentials—and examines electrical conductivity through the Spitzer–Härm problem. The chapter then discusses the collisional transport theory, which entails slowly-varying (low-frequency and long-wavelength) hydrodynamics in a short mean-free-path limit. It shows that responses to drives such as the thermodynamics equilibrium entail the collisional transport coefficients of electrical conductivity, particle and heat diffusivities, and viscosity that enter into, and that specify the hydrodynamic transport equations. The kinetic theory analysis of arriving at the electrical conductivity of a fully-ionized plasma is carried out and used to appreciate some general aspects in the analysis and computation required for finding any transport coefficient.