1

UNIVERSITY OF DELHI
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS AND ASTROPHYSICS
Time: 3 hrs Maximum marks: 70
M.Sc./ IV Sem.2013
PHYSICS: Paper PHYS-574
[Plasma Physics - II]
This paper contains six pages and two sections. Section I carries 30 marks and section II
40 marks
SECTION I
Note: In this section a correct answer carries 1, and a wrong answer carries -1/4.
Choose only one answer from the given choice.


1. For collective phenomena to occur in plasmas
(a) L
d
>>
(b) L
d
<<
(c) L
d
=
(d) =
d

where
d
is the Debye length and L is the system length.
2. If ( )
1
3

=
d
n g , then for collective phenomena to occur
(a) g
(b) 0 g
(c) L g
d
/ >
(d) L g
d
/ <
where n is the plasma density.
3. In a uniform magnetic field an electron and a positron will rotate
(a) in the same direction with equal angular frequencies,
(b) in the same direction with different angular frequencies,
2

(c) in opposite direction with same angular frequencies,
(d) None of the above
4. Diamagnetic drift
(a) is perpendicular to electric and magnetic field,
(b) is perpendicular to pressure gradient and magnetic field.
(c) is perpendicular to electric field and pressure gradient,
(d) none of the above.
5. At the cutoff point in a medium, the wave energy is
(a) Reflected.
(b) Refracted.
(c) Absorbed.
(d) Partially reflected and partially absorbed.
6. At the resonance point in a medium, the wave energy is
(a) Reflected
(b) Refracted
(c) Absorbed
(d) Partially reflected and partially absorbed
7. In Rayleigh-Taylor instability in magnetically confined plasmas
(a) The magnetic field is the light fluid and the plasma is the heavy fluid,
(b) The magnetic field is the heavy fluid and the plasma is the light fluid,
(c) The magnetic field and the plasma are both light fluids,
(d) The magnetic field and the plasma are both heavy fluids,
8. The necessary and sufficient condition for Rayleigh-Taylor instability is
(a) when the density gradient and the gravity are in the same direction,
(b) when the density gradient and the gravity are in the opposite direction,
(c) when the density gradient and the gravity are mutually perpendicular,
(d) none of the above.
9. When an unstable equilibrium is slightly displaced from its equilibrium position
(a) The potential energy increases,
(b) The potential energy decreases,
(c) The potential energy remains constant,
(d) The potential energy sometimes increases and sometimes decreases,
10. When a stable equilibrium is slightly displaced from its equilibrium position
(a) The kinetic energy increases,
(s) The kinetic energy decreases,
(c) The kinetic energy remains constant,
(d) The kinetic energy sometimes increases and sometimes decreases,
11. If plasma A is ten times denser and four times hotter than plasma B then for the same
composition, the resistivity of B relative to that of A is
(a) 100 times smaller,
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(b) 10 times smaller,
(c) same,
(d) 10 times larger,
12. In n dimensions, the number of stable equilibria is
(a) One
(b)
n
2
(c)
n
2 / 1
(d)
1
2
n

13. For equal electron and ion temperatures, the cyclotron radius of ions as compared to
that of electrons is always
(a) Bigger
(b) Smaller
(c) Equal
(d) arbitrary.
14. In a cylindrical Z pinch
(a) Current is axial, magnetic field is azimuthal and pressure gradient is radial,
(b) Current is azimuthal, magnetic field is radial while pressure gradient is axial,
(c) Current is radial, magnetic field is axial, while pressure gradient is azimuthal,
(d) Current is radial, magnetic field is azimuthal and pressure gradient is axial,
15. Single fluid MHD approximation is valid when
(a) Spatial variations are slow while temporal variations are fast.
(b) Spatial variations are fast while temporal variations are slow
(c) temporal as well as spatial variations are fast.
(d) temporal as well as spatial variations are slow
16. If is the frequency of the Alfven wave while
ci ce
e e , are the cyclotron frequencies
of electrons and ions then one of the following is true:
(a)
ce ci
e e e < <
(b)
ce ci
e e e < <
(c) e e e < <
ci ce

(d) e e e < <
ce ci

17. Isothermal equation of state is used when the time scale of the process is
(a) Faster than the thermal conduction time,
(b) Slower than the thermal conduction time,
(c) is equal to the thermal conduction time,
(d) Thermal conduction time is irrelevant to isothermal processes,
18 Adiabatic equation of state is used when the time scale of the process is
(a) Faster than the thermal conduction time,
(b) Slower than the thermal conduction time,
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(c) Is equal to the thermal conduction time,
(d) Thermal conduction time is irrelevant to adiabatic processes,
19. In adiabatic processes
(a) Entropy is constant while temperature changes,
(b) Entropy changes while temperature is constant,
(c) Entropy as well as temperature increase,
(d) Entropy as well as temperature decrease,
20. In isothermal processes
(a) Entropy is constant while temperature changes.
(b) Entropy changes while temperature is constant.
(c) Entropy as well as temperature increase.
(d) Entropy as well as temperature decrease.
21. In ion acoustic waves
(a) Ions provide inertia and electrons provide screening,
(b) Electron provide inertia while ions provide screening,
(c) Electrons and ions both provide inertia,
(d) Electrons and ions both provide screening,
22. The frequency of the lower hybrid oscillations is given by
(a) ( )
ci ce
e e
(b) ( )
2 / 1
ci ce
e e
(c) ( )
2 / 1
pe ce
e e
(d) None of the above,
here
pe
e is the electron plasma frequency..
23. At cyclotron resonance the R-wave in the plasma is resonant with
(a) Electrons,
(b) Ions,
(c) Neither,
(d) Sometimes with ions and sometimes with electrons,
24 At cyclotron resonance the L-wave in the plasma is resonant with
(a) Electrons
(b) Ions.
(c) Neither
(d) Sometimes with ions and sometimes with electrons,
25. If the plasma and the magnetic field move together then the magnetic Reynolds
number is
(a) Always Zero
(b) Always Infinite.
(c) Sometimes zero
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(d) Sometimes infinite.
26. Plasma in a force free magnetic field is
(a) Diamagnetic
(b) Paramagnetic
(c) Ferromagnetic
(d) None of the above
27. An infinite homogeneous and hot plasma with magnetic field is
(a) Diamagnetic
(b) Paramagnetic
(c) Ferromagnetic
(d) None of the above
28. In the limit of wavelength smaller than Debye length, ion acoustic waves reduce to
(a) Electron plasma oscillations
(b) Electron plasma waves
(c) Ion plasma oscillations
(d) Ion plasma waves
29. In the process of the diffusion of magnetic fields in the plasma
(a) Magnetic energy is converted into heat
(b) Heat is converted into magnetic energy
(c) Magnetic energy is converted into electrostatic energy
(d) Electrostatic energy is converted into heat energy
30 In ion cyclotron wave electrons are
(a) Isothermal.
(b) Adiabatic
(c) Isobaric
(d) Isentropic.


SECTION II

Attempt any two questions in this section


(1) (a) A cylindrical plasma of radius a and length L carries a uniform current density in the axial
direction which is denoted by
z
J . What current density is needed to radially confine a non
neutral plasma which has N electrons and RN ions (R < 1), both at same temperature and
uniformly distributed within the cylinder? (10)

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(b) If R = 0 then can the plasma consisting of only electrons be confined radially for a physically
realizable current density
z
J . (10)

(2) (a) For a conservative system, state the condition of stability in terms of potential energy.
Illustrate your condition by considering a particle in a potential. (3)

(b) Using potential energy arguments only, show that a heavy fluid supported by an
incompressible light fluid against gravity is unstable. (8)

(c) Obtain the growth rate of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the case where the plasma is
supported against gravity by the magnetic field. (9)

(3) (a) Using physical arguments and schematic diagrams only, show that the electron plasma
oscillations will not propagate in an infinite cold plasma. Discuss the role of ions in this process.
(4)

(b) Using physical arguments and schematic diagrams only, discuss the physical mechanism of
magnetosonic wave. Clearly show the directions of the wave vector, wave electric and magnetic
fields, fluid velocity etc. (4)

(c) Consider a situation where the plasma is confined in the region x 0 with magnetic field
along the z and gravity g along the x direction. Show clearly the directions of the ion and electron
drifts. By considering a sinusoidal perturbation of the interface at x = 0 discuss the stability of
this equilibrium. Use physical arguments and any diagrams you need to support your arguments.
(6)

(d) Consider the same situation as in (c) but with the direction of gravity reversed, i.e., g is along
the negative x direction. Show the direction of the ion and electron drifts in this case. Using
physical arguments and diagrams discuss the stability of this equilibrium. (6)