Mathematical models of plasma physics (review)

Plasma is a partially or fully ionized gas which satisfies the condition of quasi-neutrality. Overwhelming part of the Universe exists in the state of plasma. The plasma is widely used in industrial and laboratory conditions. In the second part of the 20th century plasma physics was formed as an original branch of physics. The theoretical basis of plasma physics is found in equations of mechanics of continuous media taking into account electromagnetic forces and Maxwell's equations. Different simplifications of these equations give series of mathematical models. They describe various, complicated processes in plasmas whose spatial and time scales differ by many orders.