Ionization Distribution of the Heavy Ions.
Abstract
The degree of ionization of the heavier ions in a plasma is determined by the opposing effects of ionization and recombination through interaction with the free electrons. A particular heavy element in the plasma will have a distribution of ionization states determined by the temperature, the electron density, and the atomic structure of the heavy element. For any ionization state the remaining bound electrons can be in various excited states described by the principal quantum number n. The high states are in thermal equilibrium with the free electrons. The populations of the ionization states of the ions limit the transitions to higher states and the continuum are dominated by collisional effects; collisional ionization and three-body recombination. Below the thermal limit the ionization are still primarily collisional ionizations but the recombinations are primarily by radiative transitions. (Modified author abstract)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 30, 1973
- Accession Number
- AD0766935
Entities
People
- D. L. Lafferty