Book 17

This is an introduction to modern non-linear plasma physics, showing how many of the techniques of modern non-linear physics find applications in plasma physics and how, in turn, the results of this research find applications in astrophysics. Emphasis is given to explaining the physics of non-linear processes and the radical change of cross-sections by collective effects. The text discusses new non-linear phenomena involving the excitation of coherent non-linear structures and the dynamics of their random motions in relation to new self-organization processes. It also gives a detailed description of applications of the general theory to various research fields, including the interaction of powerful radiation with matter, controlled thermonuclear research, and more.