Electron-Heavy Particle Collision Model in a Plasma

Abstract

Although the usual concept of binary is not valid, strictly speaking, thebinary collision may, in an approximate sense, be separated from group interaction if 3/2 kT> e/sup 2/n/sup 1/3/, where 3/2 kT is the average energy of motion of a particle, e the electronic charge, and n the number density of charged particles. Assuming that the heavy particle has a much greater mass and smaller speed than the electron and may be an ion of neutral molecule, a model is proposed. Simple, ionization, and recombination collisions are considered. (L.N.N.)