RELATIVISTIC RING EQUATIONS .I. A PERTURBATIVE APPROACH

Using a perturbative approach the finite frequency collision operator for a homogeneous relativistic plasma with electromagnetic interactions is computed within the ring approximation. The kinetic equation for the particle momentum distribution and the radiation transfer equation for the electromagnetic field are derived for various cases. For a strongly stable system previous results are recovered but are shown to be incomplete. Specifically relativistic contributions to the kinetic equation from branch cuts and undamped plasma waves which have hitherto been neglected are discussed. We also derive the coupled system of ring equations for unstable relativistic plasmas. © 1969.