Nonlinear interaction between atoms and ambient medium as one cause of local thermodynamic disequilibrium in a gas discharge plasma

Abstract

One possible cause of the local thermodynamic disequilibrium in a gas discharge plasma is studied theoretically by an example of a hydrogen-like atom. Using the nonlinear Schrobinger equation constructed for quantum systems interacting with the ambient medium, the population of atomic energy levels is simulated by numerical methods. Atoms were supposed to undergo a permanent stochastic perturbation. It was found that the distribution of the population probability almost coincides with the Boltzmann distribution at high temperatures. However, at relatively low temperatures, a noticeable deviation of populations from this distribution is observed. Therefore, one can believe that it is the nonlinear interaction between atoms and the ambient medium that results in the local thermodynamic disequilibrium.