FYS9620 – An Introduction to Plasma Physics
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
The course covers basic principles on plasmas, waves in plasma, stability analysis of the equilibrium solutions of the equations. Examples are taken from the phenomena in the Earth’s ionosphere and magnetosphere.
Learning outcome
After completing the course you will:
- understand and use the basic mathematical formalism needed for describing the dynamics of continuous media.
- have very good knowledge of mathematical models for plasma and will be able to distinguish the dynamics of plasmas and neutral fluid media.
- have very good knowledge of formulating and modifying the basic dynamic fluid equations to account for the dynamics of plasma media at different levels: from MHD to kinetic scales.
- be able to describe the propagation of waves in plasmas, and derive the dispersion relation for these waves.
- have good insight into plasma instabilities and turbulence.
- be able to make a simplified model for the Earth?s magnetosphere, and obtain analytical expressions for some characteristic quantities.
Admission to the course
PhD candidates from the University of Oslo should apply for classes and register for examinations through?Studentweb.
If a course has limited intake capacity, priority will be given to PhD candidates who follow an individual education plan where this particular course is included. Some national researchers’ schools may have specific rules for ranking applicants for courses with limited intake capacity.
PhD candidates who have been admitted to another higher education institution must?apply for a position as a visiting student?within a given deadline.
Recommended previous knowledge
Overlapping courses
- 10 credits overlap with FYS4620 – An Introduction to Plasma Physics.
Teaching
The course extends over a full semester with 3-4 hours of teaching (lectures and colloquia) per week, 60 hours of lectures in total.
In the initial part of the course, parts of the syllabus will be carried out as a self-study with bi-weekly colloquia / discussion groups.
Examination
Three written assignments which all together?count?45 % towards the final grade.
Final oral exam which counts 55 % towards the final grade.
The written assignments must be passed before you can take the final oral exam.
It will also be counted as one of the three attempts to sit the exam for this course if you sit the exam for one of the following courses: FYS4620 – An Introduction to Plasma Physics
Examination support material
No examination support material is allowed in the final oral exam.?
Language of examination
If the course is taught in English, the exam question paper will only be offered in English.
You may answer the exam in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a pass/fail scale. Read more about the grading system.
Resit an examination
Students who can document a valid reason for absence from the regular examination are offered a?postponed exam?at the beginning of the next semester.
New examinations?are offered at the beginning of the next semester for students who do not successfully complete the exam during the previous semester.
We do not offer a re-scheduled exam for students who withdraw during the exam.
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.