CONTRIBUTION OF NEUTRAL ATOMS TO THE ABSORPTION OF PHOTONS IN PLASMAS
Abstract
The index of refraction and the attenuation coefficient per unit time, as well as per unit length, has been obtained for an arbitrary medium using Maxwell's wave theory. Results are expressed in terms of the microscopic currents due to the motion of the particles in the medium. The contribution of the neutral atoms to the absorption of photons in plasmas has also been investigated by extending the Akcasu and Wald's work on the absorption due to the inverse bremsstrahlung of electrons in the field of neutral atoms to higher electron temperatures and higher photon energies. This problem was formulated by using plane waves for electron wave function. In this way an expression has been obtained for the absorption of coefficient per unit length due to the above absorption mechanism in terms of the elastic and inelastic electron-atom scattering cross sections allowing the atoms initially to be in any excited state. The absorption coefficient has been calculated explicitly for hydrogen atoms; the results are presented graphically as a function of electron temperature and radiation frequency.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1968
- Accession Number
- AD0677375
Entities
People
- A. Z. Akcasu
- H. S. Tsai
- R. K. Osborn
Organizations
- University of Michigan