Equation of State and Conductivity of Hot, Dense Matter
Abstract
The purpose of the research program reported there was to develop and apply a novel method to the calculation of the Equation of State (EOS), Mean Charge State (MCS) (or degree of ionization) and conductivity of dense plasmas of moderately high Z-numbers (Z < 30). The method to be applied was the Thomas- Fermi model, modified and adapted to the dense plasma environment. The innovative elements of the approach are: (1) The plasma environment is represented by the ion-ion and ion-electron correlation functions as source densities in the TF equation. (2) The bound electron density is posited to be zero at the ion boundary: this gives a reasonably defined ion radius, separates free and bound electrons and eliminates both the unphysical extra pressure due to bound electrons (characteristic to the so-called Confined Alom model) and the infinite ion radius (characteristic to the TF-Debye model). (3) The MCS is determined by minimizing the free energy (F) of the combined TF-ion/plasma system, with the proper inclusion of all electron-electron, electron-ion, ion- ion correlations. (4) The method can be combined with the approach of Davis and Blaha, who solved the exact Schrodinger equation for the valence electron in the TF-potential of the core electrons.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 31, 1990
- Accession Number
- ADA243359
Entities
People
- Gabor J. Kalman
Organizations
- Boston College