What plasma physics educational materials should we develop?

[namurphy]

The purpose of this repository is to collaboratively develop plasma physics educational materials. What materials should we develop, and what formats should we put them in?

[namurphy]

Typical topics from an introductory course on plasma physics include:

• Fundamentals
  • Definition of a plasma
  • Plasma scales (Debye length, plasma parameter, plasma frequency, etc.)
• Single particle motions
  • Particle orbits and drifts
  • Adiabatic invariants
• Magnetohydrodynamics (fluid description)
  • Fundamental equations
  • Conservation properties (frozen-in condition, helicity, etc.)
  • Waves, shocks, and instabilities
  • Resistive effects
• Collisionless plasmas (kinetic description)
• Collisions and transport
• Plasma turbulence
• Dynamo theory
• Magnetic reconnection
• Partially ionized plasmas
• Computational methods in plasma physics (fluid and kinetic descriptions)

Topics related to plasma astrophysics include:

• Accretion disks and jets
  • Magnetorotational instability
  • Protoplanetary disks
• Planetary, stellar, and galactic dynamos
• Particle acceleration and cosmic rays
• Heliophysics and space weather
  • Solar flares and coronal mass ejections
  • Solar wind, magnetosphere, and ionosphere