Theory of weakly coupled relativistic plasma: diffusion and transport across a magnetic field

Abstract

Explicit analytic calculations concerning transport coefficients are presented for a relativistic magnetized and collisional plasma, especially at moderately-relativistic (10 keV<or=kT<or=1 GeV) and ultra-relativistic (kT>1 GeV) temperature limits covering up to Planck's scale. Transport coefficients, such as electrical resistivity ( eta R) and thermal conductivity ( kappa R) except the thermoelectric coefficient ( lambda R), however, strikingly decrease with increase in thermal energy ( kappa T), particularly in a moderately-relativistic temperature limit, whereas in an ultra-relativistic temperature regime the trend is similar, although it is rather more drastic. Our results are of importance for understanding collisional transport processes occurring in astrophysical situations and laboratory diagnostic experiments.