Theoretical description of collisions in plasma : classical methods

Abstract
In the paper a general idea of deterministic (classical) approach to atomic collision phenomena is presented. The key points of the theory, which has the concept of a point electron carrying a point mass and a point charge as a basis, are briefly explained. The binary encounter approximation (b.e.a.) and the unperturbed collective field approximation (u.c.f.a.), the two fundamental ways of approximate analysis of the many body atomic collision problem are described and application of the both to calculation elementary processes in a plasma is shown. Possibility of precise estimation the value of the Coulomb logarithm is analysed and new point of view on the concept of the screening radius is presented. Perspectives of the deterministic approach are discussed.