A simplified two-electron group model theory for radiofrequency ionization of helium with turbulent flow

Summary form only given. A simplified version of the theory given by Talaat (1986) is obtained. This simplified version uses the following assumptions and/or facts: (a) the spatial (radial) distribution of the electrons´ particle density. n, is that resulting when the dominant plasma processes in the discharge column are made up of a two-step ionization process, a two-body recombination process, and a diffusion process: (b) the dominant heavy particle species of the plasma column, apart from the ground state neutrals, are the atomic metastables, the molecular metastables, and the molecular positive ions: and (c) the dominant rates for the plasma processes are the rate of collisional excitation of the ground state neutrals to atomic metastables by the tail electrons, the rate of the second step collisional ionization process of the atomic metastables to atomic ions by the bulk electrons, the rate of three-body conversion of atomic ions to molecular ions, and the rate of radiative and neutral assisted recombination of molecular ions to atomic or molecular metastables