Newsgroups: sci.physics.plasma
From news@CUBoulder.Colorado.EDU Tue Jan 3 21:30:26 1995
From: fcrary@benji.Colorado.EDU (Frank Crary)
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Subject: A historical question

A recent post concerning Landau reminded me of an old story
I'd heard concerning the development of the kinetic theory
of plasmas. I'm curious if anyone can confirm or deny this
history.

I was once told that Vlasov published his kinetic equation,
but went on to draw completely incorrect conclusions from
it. Because of the conclusions, the paper was largely ignored.
Landau then published a very harsh paper, correcting
these mistakes and suggesting such things as the damping
now named for him. But because he so prominently mentioned
Vlasov, the basic, kinetic equation became commonly known as
the "Vlasov Equation", despite Landau's intent to discredit
him.

Does anyone know if this history is accurate or if it is
simply a mythical, "cautionary tale" about really, harshly
slamming another's work in a later publication?

Frank Crary
CU Boulder