Dr. Istvan Ballai's main research interest is in linear and nonlinear MHD waves occurring in solar and interplanetary plasmas. Waves can carry energy and momentum; when transferred to inhomogeneous plasmas they can heat or accelerate the plasma therefore MHD waves may play an important role in explaining the observed high temperatures in the solar corona. Waves can transport information about the environment in which they propagate, so they serve as a perfect tool for plasma diagnostics. We use local and global coronal waves to find average values for magnetic field and transport coefficients in the solar corona. When the temperature of the plasma is not high enough to ensure a full ionisation, the plasma becomes partially ionised with particles of different species colliding and modifying each other momentum and energy. Dr Istvan Ballai's reserch interest also covers dynamical aspects in such plasmas, including waves and instabilities, non-equilibrium effects, etc.

Differential and difference equations Complex Analysis Numerical methods