W Rozmus, PhD

Professor, Faculty of Science - Physics

Contact

Professor, Faculty of Science - Physics
Email
wrozmus@ualberta.ca
Phone
(780) 492-8486
Address
3-124 Centennial Ctr For Interdisciplinary SCS II
11335 Saskatchewan Drive NW
Edmonton AB
T6G 2H5

Overview

About

M. Sc., University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland, 1973.
Ph. D., Institute for Nuclear Studies, Warsaw, Poland, 1978

Visiting Professorships:
National Ignition Facility, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, USA (2011-12),
Department of Physics, Imperial College, London, UK (2004-05),
Institute for Laser Science and Applications, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, USA (1997-98),
Centre de Physique Theorique, Ecole Polytechnique, Palaiseau, France (1990-91).

 


Research

My research has been focused on theoretical and computational plasma physics. Theoretical problems in plasma science are formidable. The goal is to achieve quantitative understanding of nonlinear, many body processes in ionized gases often out of equilibrium. I have contributed over the years to the development of theoretical and numerical methods in plasma theory, with emphasis on nonlinear phenomena, transport and kinetic theory. These theoretical models have been applied in the interpretation of plasma laboratory experiments, with particular attention to laser plasma interaction experiments.

For several decades the field of laser matter interaction has been driven by problems and challenges provided by inertial confinement fusion experiments. In recent years it has been also rapidly expanding into new areas of basic studies and applications, mainly due to dramatic new developments in a technology of ultrashort laser pulse generation and experimental conditions achieved in compression experiments of relevance to astrophysics. We are now on the brink of new developments in x-ray laser matter interactions at high radiation intensities. My research follows these new directions with studies on ultrashort pulse laser interaction with solid and gaseous targets, strongly coupled plasmas and x-ray Thomson scattering. I have also established a collaborative project in the biomedical applications of lasers. This research is focused on cytometry and cell sorting.

Courses

PHYS 311 - Statistical Physics

Quantum states, probability distributions, temperature and entropy; canonical ensemble and the partition function; ideal gases, paramagnets; blackbody radiation. Debye model for phonons; quantum statistics; Fermi-Dirac distribution and electrons in metals; Bose-Einstein distribution. Prerequisites: PHYS 310 (or CH E 243 for Engineering Physics Program students), PHYS 271 and MATH 209 or 215 or 317 or MA PH 351 equivalent.


PHYS 635 - Statistical Theory of Plasmas


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