Physics of Nonneutral Plasmas

A nonneutral plasma is a many-body collection of charged particles in which there is not overall charge neutrality. Such systems are characterized by intense self-electric fields, and in high-current configurations by intense self-magnetic fields. Nonneutral plasmas, like electrically neutral plasmas, exhibit a broad range of collective properties, such as plasma waves, instabilities, and Debye shielding. Moreover, the intense self fields in a nonneutral plasma can have a large influence on detailed plasma behavior and stability properties.Since the early 1970s, this important area of physics has developed into a diverse and sophisticated subfield of pure and applied plasma physics. Physics of Nonneutral Plasmas is a graduate-level text which covers a broad range of topics related to the fundamental properties and applications of nonneutral plasmas. The subject matter is treated systematically from first principles using a unified theoretical approach, and the emphasis is on the development of basic concepts that illustrate the underlying physical processes. The book includes 138 problems, 143 figures and illustrations, and the results from several classic experiments illustrating fundamental processes in nonneutral plasmas and coherent electromagnetic wave generation by relativistic electrons. Its thorough treatment of the subject gives it broad and lasting appeal to graduate students and researchers in the field.