Phase Shifts and the Second Virial Coefficient for a Partially Ionized Hydrogen Plasma

The influence of the interaction of electrons with hydrogen atoms on the thermodynamical properties of dense plasmas is investigated using a virial expansion approach. The second virial coefficient for the electron-atom interaction is obtained from the Beth-Uhlenbeck formula. Elastic scattering phase shifts are calculated with the help of the phase function method for different polarization potential models. Results for the second virial coefficient are given that take into account both the bound state part and the scattering state contribution. (C) 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA. Weinehim