Lecture

Astrophysical Fluids & Plasmas

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In course

PHYS-753: Dynamics of astrophysical fluids and plasmas

The dynamics of ordinary matter in the Universe follows the laws of (magneto)hydrodynamics. In this course, the system of equations that describes astrophysical fluids will be discussed on the basis of selected astrophysical examples, from the physics of s ...

Description

This lecture covers the dynamics of astrophysical fluids and plasmas, including topics such as neutral fluids, ideal fluids, compressible fluids, turbulence, and numerical methods in hydrodynamics. It also delves into collisionless plasma processes, magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), MHD waves, and instabilities. The instructor discusses the construction of kinetic theory, joint probability functions, and plasma oscillations. The lecture concludes with the measurement of cosmic magnetic fields using Faraday rotation.

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Related concepts (32)

Fluid

In physics, a fluid is a liquid, gas, or other material that continuously deforms (flows) under an applied shear stress, or external force. They have zero shear modulus, or, in simpler terms, are substances which cannot resist any shear force applied to them. Although the term fluid generally includes both the liquid and gas phases, its definition varies among branches of science. Definitions of solid vary as well, and depending on field, some substances can be both fluid and solid.

Magnetohydrodynamics

Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD; also called magneto-fluid dynamics or hydromagnetics) is a model of electrically conducting fluids that treats all interpenetrating particle species together as a single continuous medium. It is primarily concerned with the low-frequency, large-scale, magnetic behavior in plasmas and liquid metals and has applications in numerous fields including geophysics, astrophysics, and engineering. The word magnetohydrodynamics is derived from magneto- meaning magnetic field, hydro- meaning water, and dynamics meaning movement.

Numerical analysis

Numerical analysis is the study of algorithms that use numerical approximation (as opposed to symbolic manipulations) for the problems of mathematical analysis (as distinguished from discrete mathematics). It is the study of numerical methods that attempt at finding approximate solutions of problems rather than the exact ones. Numerical analysis finds application in all fields of engineering and the physical sciences, and in the 21st century also the life and social sciences, medicine, business and even the arts.

Probability density function

In probability theory, a probability density function (PDF), density function, or density of an absolutely continuous random variable, is a function whose value at any given sample (or point) in the sample space (the set of possible values taken by the random variable) can be interpreted as providing a relative likelihood that the value of the random variable would be equal to that sample.

Plasma (physics)

Plasma () is one of four fundamental states of matter, characterized by the presence of a significant portion of charged particles in any combination of ions or electrons. It is the most abundant form of ordinary matter in the universe, being mostly associated with stars, including the Sun. Extending to the rarefied intracluster medium and possibly to intergalactic regions, plasma can be artificially generated by heating a neutral gas or subjecting it to a strong electromagnetic field.

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