Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
Dec 1994
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1994ap%26ss.222..247r&link_type=abstract
Astrophysics and Space Science (ISSN 0004-640X), vol. 222, no. 1-2, p. 247-253
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
7
Cosmic Plasma, Far Ultraviolet Radiation, H Ii Regions, Interstellar Gas, Ionization, Cosmic Rays, Debye Length, Magnetic Fields, Photoionization
Scientific paper
Since collective plasma behavior may determine important transport processes (e.g., plasma diffusion across a magnetic field) in certain cosmic environments, it is important to delineate the parameter space in which weakly ionized cosmic gases may be characterized as plasmas. In this short note, we do so. First, we use values for the ionization fraction given in the literature, wherein the ionization is generally assumed to be due primarily to ionization by cosmic rays. We also discuss an additional mechanism for ionization in such environments, namely, the photoelectric emission of electrons from cosmic dust grains in an interstellar Far Ultra Violet (FUV) radiation field. Simple estimates suggest that under certain conditions this mechanism may dominate cosmic ray ionization, and possibly also the photoionization of metal atoms by the interstellar FUV field, and thereby lead to an enhanced ionization level.
Chow V. W.
Mendis Asoka D.
Rosenberg Marlene
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