Rate coefficients for the chemi-ionization processes in sodium- and other alkali-metal geocosmical plasmas

Abstract

The chemi-ionization processes in thermal and sub-thermal collisions of excited alkali atoms with atoms in ground and excited states were considered, with a particular accent to the applications for geocosmical plasma research. An improved version of semi-classical method for the rate coefficients calculation is presented. The method is applied to the cases of excited alkali atoms with the principal quantum numbers 5 ≤ n ≤ 25. The results of calculation of the considered chemi-ionization processes rate coefficients are compared to the existing experimental data. Their good agreement recommends to use the rate coefficients obtained for analysis of geocosmical plasma processes. © 2007.