Award Abstract # 9876820
Nonlinear Partial Differential Equations in Kinetic Theory

NSF Org: DMS
Division Of Mathematical Sciences
Recipient: TRUSTEES OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY
Initial Amendment Date: March 25, 1999
Latest Amendment Date: April 25, 2001
Award Number: 9876820
Award Instrument: Continuing Grant
Program Manager: Henry Warchall
DMS
 Division Of Mathematical Sciences
MPS
 Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences
Start Date: July 1, 1999
End Date: June 30, 2002 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $115,499.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $115,499.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 1999 = $38,500.00
FY 2000 = $38,500.00

FY 2001 = $38,499.00
History of Investigator:
  • Robert Glassey (Principal Investigator)
    glassey@indiana.edu
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: Indiana University
107 S INDIANA AVE
BLOOMINGTON
IN  US  47405-7000
(317)278-3473
Sponsor Congressional District: 09
Primary Place of Performance: Indiana University
107 S INDIANA AVE
BLOOMINGTON
IN  US  47405-7000
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
09
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): YH86RTW2YVJ4
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s): APPLIED MATHEMATICS
Primary Program Source: app-0100 
01000102DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT

app-0199 
Program Reference Code(s): 0000, OTHR
Program Element Code(s): 126600
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.049

ABSTRACT

A "collisionless" plasma is a fully ionized gas in which
electromagnetic forces dominate collisional effects. The motion of a
high temperature, low density collisionless plasma is described by
the Vlasov-Maxwell equations, a nonlinear system of partial
differential equations. The major question to be addressed is this:
are there shocks in a collisionless plasma? That is, could a
singularity develop from smoothly prescribed initial values as time
progresses? Additionally, "induction heating" will be studied. In
this area one investigates how a conductive material is heated by
using electromagnetic waves. Microwave heating is a particular
example.

"Plasmas" are often called the fourth state of matter (after solids,
liquids and gases). Plasmas account for a huge proportion of the
material in the universe. Famous examples of plasmas include the
solar wind, the ionosphere, galactic nebulae and comet tails. The
motion of a plasma is described by a number of complicated equations
dictated by physics. The mathematician's goal is to show that these
equations have solutions, at least under certain conditions. This is
the main thrust of the proposal. A completely different application
to be studied is called "induction heating." Here one tries to
determine how various materials can be heated by passing
electromagnetic waves through them. The microwave heating of food
is a particular example.


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