Generation of Aerosol Plasma in the Process of Volume Condensation in a Cloud of Surface Explosion Products

The paper deals with the process of formation of condensation aerosol and its effect on the concentration of electrons and negative and positive ions in a cloud of surface explosion products at the cooling stage. The subject of investigation is a heterogeneous mixture of vapors of mineral substances of soil, noncondensing gases (largely air), and unevaporated soil particles. A model is suggested of the process of volume condensation of soil vapors. The degree of effect of volume condensation on the concentration of electrons and ions was determined by comparing the electron concentrations calculated in view of and disregarding the thermal emission by aerosol droplets. It is found that a nonmonotonic temperature dependence of electron concentration with the presence of a minimum and a maximum is observed in the region of formation of condensation aerosol, as well as a significant (by several orders of magnitude) excess of the value of electron concentration over the value calculated disregarding the thermal emission. The low-temperature limit of this phenomenon is associated with the rapid increase in the concentration of negative molecular ions (mainly $\text{NO}^-_2$) at $T < 1600$ K.