title: Cluster virial expansion for the equation of state of partially ionized hydrogen plasma.
abstract: We study the contribution of electron-atom interaction to the equation of state for partially ionized hydrogen plasma using the cluster-virial expansion. We use the Beth-Uhlenbeck approach to calculate the second virial coefficient for the electron-atom (bound cluster) pair from the corresponding scattering phase shifts and binding energies. Experimental scattering cross-sections as well as phase shifts calculated on the basis of different pseudopotential models are used as an input for the Beth-Uhlenbeck formula. By including Pauli blocking and screening in the phase shift calculation, we generalize the cluster-virial expansion in order to cover also near solid density plasmas. We present results for the electron-atom contribution to the virial expansion and the corresponding equation of state, i.e. pressure, composition, and chemical potential as a function of density and temperature. These results are compared with semiempirical approaches to the thermodynamics of partially ionized plasmas. Avoiding any ill-founded input quantities, the Beth-Uhlenbeck second virial coefficient for the electron-atom interaction represents a benchmark for other, semiempirical approaches.
authors.affiliation: University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany. yultuz@physics.kz
authors.forename: Y A
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Omarbakiyeva
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fortmann
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Ramazanov
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Röpke