Abstract:
We use the nonequilibrium Liouville equation to derive the master equation
for the reduced statistical operator in a heat bath represented by
a many-particle environment. Focusing on the case of a weak system–bath
coupling, we consider the Born–Markov approximation of the master equation
and compare the result to different approaches. The master equation is
elaborated for the special case of an atom as a reduced system in a plasma
background. We find that the dynamical structure factor determines the effect
of the plasma on the reduced system. We consider the operator equation in
the atomic eigenstate and in the phase-space representation, which yields two
limiting cases: quantum mechanical behavior similar to the isolated atom
for the lower strongly bound levels and a semiclassical one for highly
excited Rydberg levels.
Citation:
C. Gocke, G. Röpke, “Master equation of the reduced statistical operator of an atom in a plasma”, TMF, 154:1 (2008), 31–62; Theoret. and Math. Phys., 154:1 (2008), 26–51
Gerd Röpke, “The Source Term of the Non-Equilibrium Statistical Operator”, Particles, 2:2 (2019), 309
G. Röpke, “Electrical conductivity of charged particle systems and Zubarev's nonequilibrium statistical operator method”, Theoret. and Math. Phys., 194:1 (2018), 74–104
Lin Ch., Gocke Ch., Roepke G., Reinholz H., “Transition rates for a Rydberg atom surrounded by a plasma”, Phys. Rev. A, 93:4 (2016), 042711
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