🧲 Debye Screening (2D) — Plasma Physics

A central charge in a plasma is screened by a cloud of mobile ions. The potential decays as φ(r) = (q/4πε₀r)·e^−r/λ_D instead of the bare Coulomb 1/r law. Adjust temperature and density to watch the Debye length λ_D change.

Move mouse / touch over the field map to probe the potential at that distance · P pause · R reset

Plasma Parameters

Temperature T 10 000 K Ion density n 1.0×10¹⁸ m⁻³ Charge magnitude Q +1 e

Live Stats

Debye length λ_D—

φ(r) at cursor—

φ_bare at cursor—

φ at r = λ_D—

Screening ratio—

Show screened field

Show bare Coulomb (ghost)

Show Debye circle

Legend
🔴 Central charge
🔵 Mobile screening ions
Heatmap: warm = high |φ|, cool = screened
Graph: orange dashed = bare Coulomb, cyan = screened (Debye)