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Simple Approximation For Thermal Diffusion In Ionized Gas Mixtures, John D. Ramshaw

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

A simple approximation for thermal diffusion in gas mixtures was recently proposed [1]. This approximation was based upon relations valid for rigid spheres. It is therefore appropriate for molecules with steep repulsive potentials, but not for ionized species interacting via the Coulomb potential. Here we formulate an analogous approximation for ionized species and free electrons. The resulting thermal diffusion coefficients differ in sign from those for hard molecules.