§16§This book presents the theory of gas discharge plasmas in a didactical way. It explains the processes in gas discharge plasmas. A gas discharge plasma is an ionized gas which is supported by an external electric field. Therefore its parameters are determined by processes in it. The properties of a gas discharge plasma depend on its gas component, types of external fields, their geometry and regimes of gas discharge. Fundamentals of a gas discharge plasma include elementary, radiative and transport processes which are included in its kinetics influence. They are represented in this book together with the analysis of simple gas discharges. These general principles are applied to stationary gas discharge plasmas of helium and argon. The analysis of such plasmas under certain conditions is theoretically determined by numerical plasma parameters for given regimes and conditions.§ §04§Introduction.- Processes in Gas Discharge Plasmas.- Kinetics and Transport Phenomena in Gas Discharge Plasmas.- Processes in Gas Discharge.- Helium and Argon Gas Discharge Plasmas. §01§Boris M. Smirnov is division head at the Joint Institute for High Temperatures, Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow, Russia. He is Vice Chairman of the National Council for Low Temperature Plasma and Chairman of a Section on Elementary Processes in Plasma. Professor Smirnov's research interests focus on Plasma Physics and Technology, Cluster Physics, Fractal Systems and Nanostructures. He has authored and co-authored approx. 50 books as well as 400 research articles in plasma physics, atomic physics, and atomic clusters.
