GENERALIZED LAW OF MASS-ACTION FOR A 2-TEMPERATURE PLASMA

The Zubarev formalism is applied to a two-temperature plasma to obtain the generalized law of mass action. This is done for arbitrary heat flow between the electrons and the internal states of the heavy particles on one hand and the kinetic degrees of freedom of the heavy particles on the other hand. In the case of zero heat flow the results previously reported are recovered. Applying the outcome of the calculation to a simple plasma of Rydberg atoms and ions, the Saha equation is changed. The difference can be expressed in a correction factor that depends on the mass ratio of the electron to the heavy particle, the difference in temperature, and the specific atomic structure. For argon plasmas the correction factor is small. For hydrogen plasma the results indicate a correction on the order of 10%, depending on the plasma conditions.