Transport Processes in Plasmas: Classical transport

Book excerpt: Existing textbooks on plasma physics usually contain only a minor contribution devoted to plasma transport. The aim of Transport Processes in Plasmas'' is to provide a comprehensive and unified presentation of the transport theory in plasmas. This subject is of great importance in general statistical and plasma physics; moreover, it constitutes a keystone in the thermonuclear fusion programme as well as in astro- and geophysics. The subject is presented here by unified concepts, methods and notations. The contents are strongly embedded in a general framework of theoretical physics, appealing to modern Hamiltonian mechanics, kinetic theory, non-equilibrium thermodynamics, etc. The necessary concepts from these disciplines are briefly but completely explained, making the two volumes a self-contained text. Plasma transport theory can be characterised as a truly interdisciplinary activity, and several chapters are included containing the important concepts of these peripheral fields, briefly and completely. Many new features are introduced in those two volumes.