Fundamental Aspects of Plasma Chemical Physics

This book describes the equations at the basis of the calculation of transport properties (thermal conductivity, diffusion coefficients, viscosity and electrical conductivity) of one-temperature and multi-temperature plasmas by using the Chapman-Enskog method. The calculation of transport cross-sections for atom-atom and atom-ion interactions is discussed either by using single phenomenological potentials or multi-potentials obtained by quantum mechanics. Emphasis is given to the resonant charge transfer and excitation transfer cross-sections involving ground, low-lying and high-lying electronically excited states. These data are used to discuss the dependence of transport properties on the presence of electronically excited states for equilibrium plasmas also in the presence of a magnetic field. The dependence of transport properties on non-equilibrium vibrational distributions is discussed in detail.

Mario Capitelli, University of Bari, mario.capitelli@ba.imip.cnr.it

Domenico Bruno, IMIP CNR

Annarita Laricchiuta, IMIP CNR