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I've read on wikipedia that the force drifts of the guiding centers off particles in a magnetic field also occurs in cold plasma. But does it occur in a cold plasma (Partially Ionized ) in which the mean free time is less than the gyro frequency time?

I thought that the drift were present because of the asymmetry in the gyration. In order to observe this effect, the orbit has to be completed. At least partially. But if the mean free time is smaller than the time required to complete an orbit we wouldn't be observing this effect would we?

To sum it all up: Do force drift occur in Partially Ionized plasmas in which the mean free time is much smaller than the time of gyration?

Thanks

Chandrahas
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  • Yes, the drifts still occur to a point. Obviously if the collision frequencies are too high then drifts will be damped. However, there are relatively high collision rates in the ionosphere yet there are still drifts (e.g., see https://physics.stackexchange.com/a/363523/59023 ). – honeste_vivere Dec 31 '17 at 23:43

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