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3 unusual facts about Vlasov equation


Vlasov equation

The Vlasov equation is a differential equation describing time evolution of the distribution function of plasma consisting of charged particles with long-range (for example, Coulomb) interaction.

# Theory of pair collisions disagrees with the discovery by Rayleigh, Irving Langmuir and Lewi Tonks of natural vibrations in electron plasma.

First, Vlasov argues that the standard kinetic approach based on the Boltzmann equation has difficulties when applied to a description of the plasma with long-range Coulomb interaction.


Plasma modeling

A kinetic description is achieved by solving the Boltzmann equation or, when the correct description of long-range Coulomb interaction is necessary, by the Vlasov equation which contains self-consistent collective electromagnetic field, or by the Fokker-Planck equation, in which approximations have been used to derive manageable collision terms.


see also