Lectures on plasma astrophysics: classical foundations of theory

The book contains a course of lectures on the classical foundations of plasma astrophysics, a fundamental science that studies mainly electromagnetic processes and phenomena in cosmic plasma. The lectures everywhere demonstrate common features and fundamental differences in plasma properties due to electromagnetic and gravitational interactions. There is not and cannot be a simple unified model of plasma in an infinite variety of astronomical conditions. The idea of this course of lectures is atypical for most textbooks on plasma astrophysics. It consists in a consistent consideration of physical principles, starting with the most general, most accurate and simplifying assumptions that allow us to find simple ways to describe plasma in astrophysical conditions. On this path — from the general to the particular — in this textbook, the boundaries of the applicability of the next, simpler approximation from a physical point of view and from the point of view of its possible applications are specially outlined everywhere.