- Accepted Paper
Plasma conductivity from warm dense matter to the Spitzer limit using mean-force kinetic theory
Phys. Rev. Lett. - Accepted 16 October, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/177n-4yfm
Phys. Rev. Lett. - Accepted 16 October, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/177n-4yfm
A theoretical model is developed to compute electronic transport coefficients extending from warm and dense to hot and dilute plasma conditions. This kinetic theory-based approach models strong Coulomb correlations by treating collisions using the potential of mean force, electron degeneracy using the Uehling-Uhlenbeck equation, and diffraction by computing cross sections quantum mechanically. Hydrodynamic transport coefficients are computed by solving the Uehling-Uhlenbeck equation using the Chapman-Enskog method. The result provides a fast and accurate means to compute electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity and electrothermal coefficients, including contributions from electron-electron collisions. The model enables accurate calculation of materials properties in many warm dense matter systems, including inertial confinement fusion, stellar evolution, and high energy density plasma experiments.
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