Homework for PHYS:7729 Plasma Physics II

Notes:

GB = D. A. Gurnett & A. Bhattacharjee, Introduction to Plasma Physics with Space and Laboratory Applications
BS = T. J. M. Boyd & J. J. Sanderson, The Physics of Plasmas

Week 1

Due Tuesday, January 28, 2025.

• Required: Read GB Chapter 4, Sec. 4.1-4.4 (p.87-137)
• Optional: Read BS Chapter 6, Sec. 6.1-6.3 (p.197-227)
• Homework #1: Class presentations on Cold Plasma Waves by students

Week 2

Due Thursday, February 6, 2025.

• Required: Read GB Chapter 4, Sec. 4.5 (p.137-141)
• Optional: Read BS Chapter 11, Sec. 11.1-11.2 (p.425–433)

Week 3

Cold Plasma Wave Presentations

• Tuesday, February 4, 2025
  • Ordinary Mode Light Waves, Amila
  • Electron Cyclotron Waves, Joshua
  • Ion Cyclotron Waves, Brendan
  • Cold Plasma Alfven Waves, Yuanzheng
  • Upper Hybrid Waves, Owen
• Thursday, February 6, 2025.
  • Magnetoacoustic (Fast) Waves, Justin
  • Whistler Waves, Raaman
  • LH & RH Circularly Polarized Modified Light Waves, Lily
  • Extraordinary Mode Light Waves, Andy

Due Thursday, February 13, 2025.

• Homework #2

Week 4

Due Thursday, February 20, 2025.

• Required: Read GB Chapter 7, Sec. 7.3 (p.239-260)
• Optional: Read BS Chapter 4, Sec. 4.5-4.7 (p.108-130)
• Homework #3

Week 5

• Study for Midterm Exam I, in-class on Thursday, February 23, 2025.

Week 6

• Review Lectures #1-10
• Review Homeworks #1-3
• Midterm Exam I: in-class on Thursday, February 27, 2025.

Week 7

Due Thursday, March 13, 2025.

• Required: Read GB Chapter 9, Sec. 9.1–9.1.1 (p.319–323)
• Required: Read GB Chapter 9, Sec. 9.2 (p.328–346)
• Optional: Read BS, Chapter 7, Sec. 7.1–7.3 (p.252–268)
• Homework #4

Week 8

Due Thursday, March 27, 2025.

• Required: Read GB Chapter 9, Sec. 9.3–9.4 (p.3146–356)
• Homework #5

Week 9

Due Thursday, April 3, 2025.

• Required: Read GB Chapter 9, Sec. 9.1.2 (p.323–328)
• Required: Read GB Chapter 9, Sec. 9.5 (p.356–370)
• Optional: Read BS,Chapter 7, Sec. 7.4-7.5 (p.268–277)
• Homework #6

Week 10

Due Friday, April 10, 2025.

• Required: Read GB Chapter 11, Sec 11.1 (p.428-441)
• Optional: Read BS Chapter 10, Sec 10.1-10.2 (p.376–388)
• Homework #7

Week 11

Due Thursday, April 17, 2025.

• Required: Read GB Chapter 2, Sec 2.2 (p.6-9)
• Optional: Read BS Chapter 11, Sec 11.7 (p.453–458)
• Study for Midterm Exam II, in-class on Thursday, April 17, 2025.

Week 12

• Review Lectures #11-18
• Review Homeworks #4-7
• Midterm Exam II: in-class on Thursday, April 17, 2025.

Week 13

Due Thursday, May 1, 2025.

• Required: Read Barenblatt Scaling (2003), p.1--26
• Required: Read Taylor, G., The formation of a blast wave by a very intense explosion I. Theoretical discussion, Royal Society of London Proceeedings Series A, 201, 159-174 (1950a).
• Required: Read Taylor, G., The formation of a blast wave by a very intense explosion II. The Atomic Explosion of 1945, Royal Society of London Proceeedings Series A, 201, 175-186 (1950b).
• Homework #8

Week 14

No new homework this week, but please the complete previous week's reading if you haven't yet.

Week 15

Study for in-class Final Exam.

• Exam Date and Time TBD

This cumulative Final Exam will cover

• Lectures #1-25
• Homeworks #1-8