Plasma polarization in high gravity astrophysical objects

TL;DR

This paper investigates how plasma polarization caused by gravity and inertial forces in massive astrophysical objects is affected by Coulomb interactions, introducing new non-ideality effects into the equilibrium conditions.

Contribution

It introduces a novel consideration of non-ideality effects due to Coulomb interactions as a source of plasma polarization in astrophysical objects, using a variational approach.

Findings

Identification of new non-ideality potential and force

Formulation of local equilibrium conditions including Coulomb effects

Discussion of polarization sequences in astrophysical contexts

Abstract

Macroscopic plasma polarization, which is created by gravitation and other mass-acting (inertial) forces in massive astrophysical objects is under discussion. Non-ideality effect due to strong Coulomb interaction of charged particles is introduced into consideration as a new source of such polarization. Simplified situation of totally equilibrium isothermal star without relativistic effects and influence of magnetic field is considered. The study is based on variational approach combined with "local density approximation". It leads to two local forms of thermodynamic equilibrium conditions: constancy for generalized (electro)chemical potentials and/or conditions of equilibrium for the forces acting on each charged specie. New "non-ideality potential" and "non-ideality force" appear naturally in this consideration. Hypothetical sequences of gravitational, inertial and non-ideality polarization on thermo- and hydrodynamics of massive astrophysical objects are under discussion.