Self-consistent compensated microfield model for a strongly coupled plasma

A compensated microfield model of plasma nonideality is proposed as an improvement of the traditional microfield models. In this model, a double contribution of a microfield to the truncation of statistical sums removed. The new method of truncation of the statistical sums of atoms or ions is compared with the results of experiments and computations performed by well-known Debye-type and other models. It is shown that only the microfield model correctly describes experiments. Ionization of Li and Hg atoms is calculated. The effect of metallization of plasma—an abrupt increase of ionization from zero to a single ionization at low temperatures and nearly normal densities—is qualitatively described. The results of calculation of Hg vapor ionization qualitatively agree with known experimental results on the measurement of electric conductivity of this vapor. © 2009, Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.