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For a static equilibrium in a plasma, magnetohydrostatics is applicable
and in the MHD approximation (
, plasma speeds are much
smaller than the speed of light) we have
 |
(5.7) |
where
is assumed constant in space and
 |
(5.8) |
When there are no currents flowing in the plasma so that
, we may satisfy (5.7) identically by setting
and hence (5.8) becomes
 |
(5.9) |
These sections show that Laplace's equation is an extremely important
equation. However, we cannot solve it until boundary conditions are
imposed.
Prof. Alan Hood
2000-11-06