Interaction of two macroparticles in a nonequilibrium plasma

Abstract

The interaction of two macroparticles in a nonequilibrium plasma at elevated pressures has been investigated. An asymptotic theory of screening, which leads to a two-exponential dependence of the macro- particle potential on distance with different screening constants, is used to determine the electrostatic energy of the system of charges associated with the two macroparticles. The dependence of the electrostatic energy on interparticle distance has been found to have a minimum, as in an equilibrium plasma. The interaction force between the macroparticles has been determined; it turned out to be asymmetric—for different charges, the forces acting on the first and second macroparticles are not equal. This is the result of an asymmetric charge separation near macroparticles with differing charges and indicates that the interaction force in a nonequilib- rium plasma is nonpotential. The forces are equal for identical macroparticles or in an equilibrium plasma and the potential energy of the interaction between the macroparticles has been determined for these cases. Attrac- tion between likely charged particles with different (in magnitude) charges has been found to be possible when they come very close together. Relations to determine the modified coupling parameter for an interaction poten- tial that consists of two exponential terms with different screening constants have been derived.