Thesis (Ph.D.)--Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 128-136). Also available in electronic version.

Thesis (doctoral)--University of Tartu,, 2006. / Thesis based on four papers.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1991. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 186-203). Also available via the Internet

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 176-179). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2003. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI Company.

Thesis--Ph. D., University of Hong Kong, 1977.

Thesis--M. Phil., University of Hong Kong, 1986.

This work consists of three chapters. In the first chapter, a brief overview is made on the history of the modern kinetic theory of elastic and dilute gases since the early stages of Maxwell and Boltzmann. In addition, I short exposition on the complexities of the theory of granular media is presented. This chapter has the objectives of contextualize the problems that will be studied in the remainder of the document and, somehow, to exhibit the mathematical complications that may arise in the inelastic gases (not present in the elastic theory of gases). The rest of the work presents two self-contained chapters on different topics in the study of the Boltzmann equation. Chapter 2 focuses in studying and extending the propagation of regularity properties of solutions for the elastic and homogeneous Boltzmann equation following the techniques introduced by A. Bobylev in 1997 and Bobylev, Gamba and Panferov in 2002. Meanwhile, chapter 3 studies the existence and uniqueness of the inelastic and inhomogeneous Cauchy problem of the Boltzmann equation for small initial data. A new set of global in time estimates, proved for the gain part of the inelastic collision operator, are used to implement the scheme introduced by Kaniel and Shinbrot in the late 70’s. This scheme, known as Kaniel and Shinbrot iteration, produces a rather simple and beautiful proof of existence and uniqueness of global solutions for the Boltzmann equation with small initial data. / text

The goal of this dissertation is to provide experimental insight into the mechanism behind the efficient power absorption of helicon plasmas. This work presents evidence which is consistent with the Radially Localized Helicon (RLH) theory put forth by Breizman and Arefiev. Helicon discharges produce peaked density profiles with radial density gradients creating a potential well that sets up the RLH waves, which we believe is the major power absorption mechanism in the plasma. The experimental data presented in this dissertation must be taken in totality along with parallel efforts in theory and computer simulation. We show photographic evidence along with Langmuir probe measurements of the axial density that shows an asymmetric, right-hand circularly polarized wave being launched in a direction consistent with RLH theory. Additionally, we are able to show, through Langmuir probe measurements, that significant radial density gradients exist in the plasma which is required by the RLH dispersion but contrary to the uniform density assumption of current theory. Furthermore, using the two-dimensional density profile obtained from experiment, we are able to use that data as input into a model which confirms key features of the power absorption in terms of location and magnitude. The time-varying magnetic field is measured and analyzed against the RLH dispersion relation. Using a Fourier decomposition technique, the analysis indicates the proper scaling of the wavenumbers with the RLH dispersion. Finally, using the experimental density as input to a computer model, simulations show very good agreement with the amplitude and phase of the experimentally measured RF magnetic fields. / text