In the last few years the physics of turbulent plasma has undergone rapid development, beginning with the first works, in which the term "turbulence" was used in various ways, and ending with the fundamental studies which provide a thorough examina tion of the turbulent state of plasma. In physics it is usually found that value is not so much contained in specific results for a partic ular field as it is in the more general outlook and overall view of the problem. Occasionally the older results take on new mean ing after the general view of things is perfected. In the case of the physics of turbulent plasma, this general picture is now com plete, for the most part. The first review devoted to the problem of plasma turbulence was written by B. B. Kadomtsev in "Problems in Plasma Theory," edited by M. A. Leontovich, Volume 4, Moscow, Atomizdat (1964), p. 188; English Translation: "Plasma Turbulence," Academic Press, London (1965)]."

This book was written by a group of authors and provides a systematic dis cussion of questions related to bremsstrahlung in many-particle systems. A number of new results have recently been obtained in this area which require a fundamental revision of the previously existing traditional concepts of bremsstrahlung. This ap plies both to complicated atoms containing a large number of electrons and to the additional bremsstrahlung in a system of many particles forming a medium. In fact, the traditional approach was rigorously applicable only either to isolated "structureless" particles (e. g. , to the emission of an electron on a proton) or to par ticles radiating in the limit of extremely high frequencies. Polarization effects (either polarization of an atom itself by an incident particle or polarization of the medium surrounding an atomic particle) have a significant effect in the practically important optical and x-ray frequency ranges and sometimes even predominate. The first effect has come to be known as polarization atomic (or dynamic) bremsstrahlung and the second, as polarization transition bremsstrahlung. The au thors of this book use a single term: polarization bremsstrahlung. It seems that, in contrast to earlier ideas on the subject, bremsstrahlung during collisions of heavy incident particles with atoms is by no means small and is entirely caused by polar ization effects.

Modulational Interactions in Plasmas is the first book to present all the basic considerations relevant to the topic. It adopts a simple and universal approach, based on new methods developed for the description of modulation interactions in arbitrary media. Emphasis is given to the role of modulational interactions in fundamental topics, such as laser acceleration, the generation of strong magnetic fields, r.f. plasma heating and current drive, physical phenomena in active geophysical and space experiments, interactions of r.f. radiation with the ionosphere, etc. The methods employed can also be applied to other areas of physics. Audience: Researchers in plasma and laser physics, and nonlinear optics.

Complex plasmas are dusty plasmas in which the density and electric charges of the dust grains are sufficiently high to induce long-range grain-grain interactions, as well as strong absorption of charged-plasma components. Together with the sources replenishing the plasma such systems form a highly dissipative thermodynamically open system that exhibits many features of collective behaviour generally found in complex systems. Most notably among them are self-organized patterns such as plasma crystals, plasma clusters, dust stars and further spectacular new structures. Beyond their intrinsic scientific interest, the study of complex plasmas grows in importance in a great variety of fields, ranging from space-plasma sciences to applied fields such as plasma processing, thin-film deposition and even the production of computer chips by plasma etching, in which strongly interacting clouds of complex plasmas can cause major contamination of the final product.

Intended as first introductory but comprehensive survey of this rapidly emerging field, the present book addresses postgraduate students as well as specialist and nonspecialist researchers with a general background in either plasma physics, space sciences or the physics of complex systems.

Modulational Interactions in Plasmas is the first book to present all the basic considerations relevant to the topic. It adopts a simple and universal approach, based on new methods developed for the description of modulation interactions in arbitrary media. Emphasis is given to the role of modulational interactions in fundamental topics, such as laser acceleration, the generation of strong magnetic fields, r.f. plasma heating and current drive, physical phenomena in active geophysical and space experiments, interactions of r.f. radiation with the ionosphere, etc. The methods employed can also be applied to other areas of physics. Audience: Researchers in plasma and laser physics, and nonlinear optics.