Energy levels in hydrogen plasmas and the Planck-Larkin partition function - A comment

Abstract

Attention is given to the objections raised by Rouse (1983) against the use of the Planck-Larkin partition function (PLPF) in the description of the ionization equilibrium. It is presently noted that, in an up-to-date version of the quantum statistics of Coulomb systems with bound states, the discrete energy states of the Bethe-Salpeter equation have to be introduced into the PLPF. The latter then becomes both temperature- and density-dependent.