Units

With a few exceptions the physical properties are handled in PLASMAKIN using SI units. The exceptions are the energy, the electron temperature - where in both cases eV is used - and the vibrational frequency, where for historical reasons cm^-1 is used [1].

However, in the input file the values of several physical properties can also be given in other units. In this case the unit used must be indicated after the value, according to the syntax:

property = value, 'units'

The units available for each property are listed in the corresponding reference page.

When these units are read the corresponding values are converted to SI units and the conversion factors are saved. When the calling program inquires about the value of a given physical property, the corresponding conversion factor is used to back-convert to the initial units. Thus the value passed to the calling program is always in the units used in the data file.

The conversion operations and conversion factors are always hidden from the calling program. This allows some flexibility of the data input and output and at the same time frees the programmer from elementary but error-prone conversion operations.