Charles Karney: Publication 4/85, Bers(1976)

A. Bers, J. L. Kulp, and C. F. F. Karney.
Symbolic computation of nonlinear wave interactions on MACSYMA.
Comput. Phys. Comm., 12(1):81–98, Sept./Oct. 1976.
M.I.T. Rept. RLE PPR 76/17 (Aug. 1976) 26 pp.
Reprinted in Computing in Plasma Physics and Astrophysics, edited by D. Biskamp (North-Holland Publishing Co., Amsterdam, 1976), Proc. Second European Conf. on Computational Physics, Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik, Garching, Germany, Apr. 27–30, 1976.
Reprint: cpc76
DOI: 10.1016/0010-4655(76)90012-6
BibTeX Entry

In this paper we describe the use of a large symbolic computation system—MACSYMA—in determining approximate analytic expressions for the nonlinear coupling of waves in an anisotropic plasma. MACSYMA was used to implement the solutions of a fluid plasma model nonlinear partial differential equations by perturbation expansions and subsequent iterative analytic computations. By interacting with the details of the symbolic computation, the physical processes responsible for particular nonlinear wave interactions could be uncovered and appropriate approximations introduced so as to simplify the final analytic result. Details of the MACSYMA system and its use are discussed and illustrated.