CALCULATION OF THE PRESSURE TENSOR IN A FULLY IONIZED PLASMA

Abstract

The tensor part of the pressure arising from gradients in flow velocity is calculated from the Fokker–Planck equation by using the Cartesian tensor expansion in direction cosines of the intrinsic velocity vectors and the Laguerre expansion for the magnitude of the intrinsic velocities. Wavelike perturbations and magnetic fields are included and both the electron and ion pressure tensors are investigated. The results are compared with those derived by other approaches.