Electrostatic fluctuations in collisional plasmas

We present a theory of electrostatic fluctuations in two-component plasmas where electrons and ions are described by Maxwellian distribution functions at unequal temperatures. Based on the exact solution of the Landau kinetic equation, that includes electron-electron, electron-ion, and ion-ion collision integrals, the dynamic form factor, S(k[over ⃗],ω), is derived for weakly coupled plasmas. The collective plasma responses at ion-acoustic, Langmuir, and entropy mode resonances are described for arbitrary wave numbers and frequencies in the entire range of plasma collisionality. The collisionless limit of S(k[over ⃗],ω) and the strong-collision result based on the fluctuation-dissipation theorem and classical transport at T_{e}=T_{i} are recovered and discussed. Results of several Thomson scattering experiments in the broad range of plasma parameters are described and discussed by means of our theory for S(k[over ⃗],ω).

Electrostatic response of a two-component plasma with Coulomb collisions

A rigorous procedure is proposed for finding a solution to kinetic equations with the Landau electron-electron, electron-ion, ion-electron, and ion-ion collision integrals in fully ionized plasma. The linear plasma response to the perturbation in the electrostatic field is described in terms of plasma dielectric permittivity. Solutions of the dispersion relation for electron plasma waves, ion-acoustic waves, and entropy modes are found in the entire range of frequencies, wave vectors, and particle collisionality. Several fits are obtained to enable practical applications of these results.