Formation of binary correlations in plasma

TL;DR

This paper investigates how binary correlations form rapidly in plasma using quantum kinetic equations, deriving analytical formulas and comparing with simulations to understand screening dynamics in various conditions.

Contribution

It provides analytical expressions for the time evolution of binary correlations in plasma, applicable across different temperatures and interaction types, including nuclear and metallic systems.

Findings

Correlations form faster than collisional dissipation, on the order of inverse plasma frequency.

Derived analytical formulas describe the time dependence of binary interaction energy.

Comparison with molecular dynamics confirms the theoretical predictions.

Abstract

The formation of binary correlations in plasma is studied from the quantum kinetic equation. It is shown that this formation is much faster than dissipation due to collisions, in hot (dense) plasma the correlations form on the timescale of inverse plasma frequency (Fermi energy). This hierarchy of characteristic times is used to derive analytical formulae for time dependency of the potential energy of binary interactions which measures the extent of correlations. We discuss the dynamical formation of screening and compare with the statical screened result.Comparisons are made with molecular dynamic simulations. In the low temperature limit we find an analytical expression for the formation of correlation which is general for any binary interaction. It can be applied in nuclear situations as well as dense metals.