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Diffusion of neon in white dwarf stars.
- Source :
-
Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics [Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys] 2010 Dec; Vol. 82 (6 Pt 2), pp. 066401. Date of Electronic Publication: 2010 Dec 01. - Publication Year :
- 2010
-
Abstract
- Sedimentation of the neutron rich isotope 22Ne may be an important source of gravitational energy during the cooling of white dwarf stars. This depends on the diffusion constant for 22Ne in strongly coupled plasma mixtures. We calculate self-diffusion constants D(i) from molecular dynamics simulations of carbon, oxygen, and neon mixtures. We find that D(i) in a mixture does not differ greatly from earlier one component plasma results. For strong coupling (coulomb parameter Γ> few), D(i) has a modest dependence on the charge Z(i) of the ion species, D(i)∝Z(i)(-2/3). However, D(i) depends more strongly on Z(i) for weak coupling (smaller Γ). We conclude that the self-diffusion constant D(Ne) for 22Ne in carbon, oxygen, and neon plasma mixtures is accurately known so that uncertainties in D(Ne) should be unimportant for simulations of white dwarf cooling.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1550-2376
- Volume :
- 82
- Issue :
- 6 Pt 2
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 21230741
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.82.066401