Abstract
In partially ionized plasma, where ions can be in different ionization states, each charge state can be described as a different fluid for the purpose of multi-ion collisional transport. In the case of two charge states, transport pushes plasma toward equilibrium, which is found to be a combination of local charge-state equilibrium and generalized pinch relations between ion fluids representing different charge states. Combined, these conditions lead to a dramatic deconfinement of ions. This deconfinement happens on the timescale similar but not identical to the multi-ion cross-field transport timescale, as opposed to electron-ion transport timescale in fully ionized plasma. Deconfinement occurs because local charge-state equilibration enforces the disparity in diamagnetic drift velocities of ion fluid components, which in turn leads to the cross-field transport due to ion-ion friction.
Original language | English (US) |
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Article number | 112111 |
Journal | Physics of Plasmas |
Volume | 29 |
Issue number | 11 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 2022 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Condensed Matter Physics