Vlasov equation

Summary

The Vlasov equation describes a large system of particles that interact through long-range forces. Examples are charged particles in a plasma and stars in a galaxy. It is a transport equation in position and velocity for the particle density $f(t, x, v)$, without a collision term. The force is the mean field created by all particles together, so the equation is nonlinear. Coupled with the Poisson equation it gives the Vlasov–Poisson system.