Ionization potential depression in degenerate plasmas and Pauli blocking of multi-electron ions

Abstract

The composition of partially ionised plasmas is investigated for densities and temperatures at which the free electrons are degenerate. Based on a quantum statistical approach, the effect of Pauli blocking is addressed. Specifically, one- and two-electron ions are studied. Approximations for deriving an in-medium Schrödinger equation for the ionization potential are indicated. New results regarding the degree of ionisation and the Mott effect are presented. Standard codes for plasma properties do not take Pauli blocking effects into account and are therefore unable to explain the experiments in the high-density regime, where the electrons are degenerate.