Elemental diffusion and segregation processes in partially ionized solar plasma

Abstract

Although diffusion is usually associated with equalizing of the chemical composition, the pressure and temperature gradients inside the Sun cause elemental diffusion segregation. While light hydrogen is flowing up to the solar envelope, helium and heavier elements are settling down to the core. The target of our simulation is an accurate estimation of the settling rate in solar plasma during the course of solar evolution. The rate of helium depletion in the envelope is a key parameter of the solar evolution and depends on position and conditions around the base of the convective mixing zone. The rate of heavy element settling is sensitive to the degree of ionization and interaction with the radiation flux. We estimate the effect of ion ionization on the settling rate for several heavy elements up to iron in the framework of the LTE assumption and the thermodynamic calculation according to SAHA-S EOS.