Renormalized plasma turbulence theory: A quasiparticle picture

A general renormalized statistical theory of Vlasov turbulence is given which proceeds directly from the Vlasov equation and does not assume prior knowledge of sophisticated field-theoretic techniques. Quasiparticles are the linear excitations of the turbulent system away from its instantaneous mean (ensemble-averaged) state or background; the properties of this background state "dress" or renormalize the quasiparticle responses. It is shown that all two-point responses (including the dielectric) and all two-point correlation functions can be completely described by the mean distribution function and three fundamental quantities. Two of these are the quasiparticle responses---the propagator and the potential source---which measure, respectively, the separate responses of the mean distribution function and the mean electrostatic potential to functional changes in an external phase-space source added to Vlasov's equation. The third quantity is the two-point correlation function of the incoherent part of the phase-space density which acts as a self-consistent source of quasiparticle and potential fluctuations. This theory explicitly takes into account the self-consistent nature of the electrostatic-field fluctuations which introduces new effects not found in the usual "test-particle" theories. Explicit equations for the fundamental quantities are derived in the direct interaction approximation. Special attention is paid to the two-point correlations and the relation to theories of phase-space granulation.