A model for a plasma ball

TL;DR

This paper presents a simple theoretical model to analyze the stability and equilibrium size of a high-temperature plasma ball, considering electrostatic energy and surface charge distribution.

Contribution

It introduces a new simple model that accounts for electrostatic field energy and surface charge effects to study plasma ball stability.

Findings

Charged plasma balls can be metastable under external pressure.

Equilibrium radius of the plasma ball is calculated.

Electrostatic energy significantly influences stability.

Abstract

A detailed simple model is applied to study a high temperature plasma ball. It is assumed that the ions and delocalized electrons are distributed randomly throughout the charged plasma ball (extra/missing charge is assumed to be found in a thin layer on the surface of a ball). The energy of the microscopic electrostatic field around the ions is taken into account and calculated. It is shown in the framework of this model that regarded charged plasma ball can be stable as a metastable state, when subjected to an external (atmospheric) pressure. Equilibrium radius of a ball is calculated.