Long-Range Forces and the Diffusion Coefficients of a Plasma

Abstract

The nature of the effective interaction between particles when correlation effects are taken into account is discussed. It has been observed that the encounters between the particles are not binary, since there are many particles inside the screening sphere set up by the electric field of the particles. The dielectric behavior of a plasma is discussed. The field of a test particle is discussed and the validity of the screened Coulomb approximation is assessed. The diffusion coefficients are calculated in terms of the fluctuating electric microfield produced by the partially correlated motion of the electrons. The energy spectrum of the fluctuating microfield is calculated. An evaluation was made of the diffusion coefficients. (B.O.G.)