Diffusion Coefficients for Stellar Plasmas

The diffusion coefficients of relatively dense plasmas that are typical of white dwarf envelopes are presently computed by means of an approximate method, based on the numerical evaluation of collision integrals for a screened Coulomb potential, which becomes rigorously valid in the limit of a dilute plasma. The plasmas encountered in white dwarf envelopes are noted to be neither weakly nor strongly coupled; a comparison with the results of rigorous Monte Carlo calculations applicable at very high densities indicates, however, that the region of intermediate coupling is probably reasonably bridged. Results are presented in the form of high accuracy analytic fits for the collision integrals.