NLTE ionization and energy balance in high-Z laser-plasmas including two-electron transitions

We describe a new non-LTE statistical atomic kinetics model of plasmas in which the two-electron transitions of auto-ionization and its inverse, resonant-capture, play a dominant role in establishing ionization and energy balance. We show that, compared with a familiar collisional-radiative-equilibrium model which includes only the one-electron bound-bound and bound-free transitions: (1) the two-electron transitions force recombination of the plasma with decreasing density, (2) the two-electron transitions nevertheless further act to greatly increase the radiative emissivity of the plasma, and (3) the relaxation of the two-electron transition driven sysems proceeds much faster. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.