On the Behaviour of Rarefied Polyatomic Gases in a Static Magnetic Field

Abstract

The behaviour of rarefied polyatomic gases is described by transport relaxation equations obtained from the Waldmann-Snider equation and by an appropriate set of boundary conditions which are derived from the interfacial entropy production. The influence of the magnetic field on the transport properties of the gas is due to the coupling of the tensor polarization and the tensor polarization flux with the frictional pressure tensor and the heat fluxes respectively. As an application the flow and the heat conduction of a gas between parallel plates in the presence of a magnetic field are treated, and from this two major results are obtained: (a) Knudsen corrections for the Senftleben-Beenakker effect of viscosity, (b) a theory of the thermomagnetic pressure difference. A comparison with experimental data of Hulsman e. a. and Hermans e. a. yields boundary coefficients which describe both phenomena rather well for the gases HD, CH4 , CO and N2.