Mathematical Analysis of Plasmas (26rit041)

The Banff International Research Station will host the “Mathematical Analysis of Plasmas” Research in Teams program from May 3 - 17, 2026.

Baryonic matter in the Universe is almost exclusively (99,9 \%) in the plasma state, which is one of the four common states (with solid, liquid and gas), having the specificity of being strongly affected by electrical and magnetic fields. Already three generations of plasma physicists have worked at understanding more precisely the dynamics of plasmas, unravelling their secrets and bringing order to what seems by nature chaotic. Still, the plasmas continue to preserve a part of their mystery.

First, our project aims to gain more insight into the microscopic reactions induced by the presence of radiation. Secondly, it is to mathematically elucidate how inertial effects coming from the mixing of charged species (like electrons and ions) is able to stabilize the plasma dynamics at very small scales. Incidently, this would bring innovative insight about some specificities of (magnetohydrodynamics).

The Banff International Research Station for Mathematical Innovation and Discovery (BIRS) is a collaborative Canada-US-Mexico venture that provides an environment for creative interaction as well as the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and methods within the Mathematical Sciences, with related disciplines and with industry. The research station is located at The Banff Centre in Alberta and is supported by Canada’s Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), and Alberta’s Advanced Education and Technology.