Covariant form for the collision integral
Abstract
The collision integral that describes the evolution of a distribution of particles in a plasma due to Coulomb interactions between themselves or with other particles is generalized to include relativistic effects and the current-current interaction (in addition to the charge-charge interaction). This is achieved through a covariant version of a conventional derivation based on correlation functions for fluctuations in the plasma. The covariant theory is used to distinguish between longitudinal (charge-charge) and transverse (current-current) interactions. For highly relativistic particles, the current-current contribution is half the charge-charge contribution when Debye screening is unimportant, and is unaffected by Debye screening. It is shown that the classical theory is reproduced by a quantum electrodynamics calculation for electron-electron (Møller) scattering in the limit of small momentum transfer.
- Publication:
-
Journal of Plasma Physics
- Pub Date:
- August 2007
- DOI:
- 10.1017/S0022377806004879
- Bibcode:
- 2007JPlPh..73..599M