Syllabus
1. Description
Description of the processes by which mass, momentum,
and energy are transported in plasmas, with special
reference to magnetic confinement fusion applications.
The Fokker-Planck collision operator and its limiting
forms, as well as collisional relaxation and equilibrium,
are considered in detail. Special applications include
a Lorentz gas, Brownian motion, alpha particles,
and runaway electrons.
The Braginskii formulation of classical collisional
transport in general geometry based on the Fokker-Planck
equation is presented.
Neoclassical transport in tokamaks, which is sensitive
to the details of the magnetic geometry, is considered
in the high (Pfirsch-Schluter), low (banana) and
intermediate (plateau) regimes of collisionality.
2. Course Prerequisites
22.615
3. Textbooks
Collisional Transport in Magnetized Plasmas
Helander & Sigmar - Cambridge University Press
TBD
4. Problem Sets
The problem sets (approximately weekly) are an
essential part of the course. Working through these
problems is essential to understanding the material.
Problem sets will generally be assigned on Tuesday
and will be due on the following Tuesday. All problem
sets will be posted on the course web site.
Problem set solutions will be posted on the web
site following the due date. No problem sets will
be accepted after the solutions have been posted.
5. Exams
There will be one comprehensive TAKE HOME
final exam.
6. Term Paper
There is no term paper required for this course.
7. Grading
The final grade for the course will be based on
the following:
Weekly Problem Sets: 60%
Final Exam: 40%
8. Web Site
As the semester progresses, we will post important
information and other helpful material on this web
site. You should check the web site for announcements
(rescheduling etc.) prior to each class. All problem
sets and solutions will also be posted on this web
site.
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