Collisional Relaxation Of A Strongly Magnetized Ion-Electron Plasma

The relaxation of an ion-electron plasma due to collisions, in a uniform background magnetic field, is studied. Based on the recently found ion velocity transfer by a binary collision, the diffusion coefficients are derived. The Fokker-Planck equation is treated in the framework of the diffusion approximation, from which the drag term is extracted. The diffusion and drag coefficients are written appropriately in parallel and perpendicular components, relative to the direction of the magnetic field. Then, the relaxation times of the ion parallel and perpendicular temperatures are calculated. Finally, the energy loss rate of a test ion moving in an electron plasma is obtained, and a specific case in the conditions of the ALPHA experiment is presented. Published under license by AIP Publishing.