MATH-GA 2420, Advanced Topics

A crash course in magnetohydrodynamics, Spring 2024

Lecture Notes:

Date	Lecture topic	Reading for this week
01/25/24	Lecture 1+ 1.5: Introduction to plasmas and magnetohydrodynamics (The 1.5 will be covered in first half of second lecture)	Chapters 1 & 2 in Galtier, Chapters 2 and 3 in Goldston and Rutherford will be helpful for homework, Chapter 2 in Friedberg for much more robust derivation of ideal MHD.
02/01/24	Lecture 2: More MHD models. Boundary conditions & global invariants	Chapter 3 in Galtier, Chapter 3 in Freidberg
02/08/24	Lecture 2.5 + 3: Finish up global invariants and discuss basic MHD equilibria	Chapter 8.1-8.3 in Galtier, Chapter 4.1-4.5 in Freidberg, Antoine Cerfon’s equilibria notes
02/15/24	Lecture 4: 2D equilibria and stellarator optimization. Simple linear waves.	Chapter 4.1-4.3 in Galtier, Chapter 8.1-8.5 in Freidberg
02/22/24	Lecture 5: Linear stability and dynamos	Chapter 5 in Galtier + previous week’s reading
02/29/24	Lecture 6: Fluid turbulence	Chapter 11.1-11.2, 11.4-11.5 in Galtier
03/07/24	Lecture 7: MHD turbulence	12.1-12.6 in Galtier

Homework assignments:

Homework Assignments	Homework Solutions	Due dates (homework less than three days late will be accepted for full credit)
Homework 1	HW1 solutions	Feb. 8
Homework 2	HW2 solutions	Feb. 22
Homework 3	HW3 solutions	Mar. 14

The Plasma Formulary (encyclopedia of plasma parameters and terms) is a super useful resource! 

Zoom link for anything online:

https://washington.zoom.us/j/7793316339

Syllabus: