Atomic and molecular processess in high-temperature, low-density magnetically confined plasmas

This chapter presents the atomic physics problems in thermonuclear fusion research under a unifying aspect starting with the fundamental equations for magnetically confined plasmas. Discusses basic equations for magnetically confined plasmas; rate equations for particle density; a rate equation for momentum density; a rate equation for energy density; translational and thermal energy density; atomic and molecular processes during the initial phase of tokamak and similar discharges; spatial distribution of neutral hydrogen atoms in the hightemperature stationary state; estimate from a coronal ionization formula; calculations with the aid of the Boltzmann equation; the dynamics of impurity species; diffusion coefficients; classical diffusion in toroidal geometry; diffusion fluxes (a case study); radial particle distributions; atomic collision processes; electron-impact ionization; ion-impact ionization; radiative electron-ion recombination; di-electronic recombination; radiation losses; free-free radiation or bremsstrahlung; freebound radiation; di-electronic recombination radiation; radiation caused by charge exchange; and bound-bound or line radiation