THE ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, 382:636-639, 1991 December 1

            THE ROSSELAND MEAN FREE-FREE GAUNT FACTOR OF THE DENSE
                        HIGH-TEMPERATURE STELLAR PLASMA

      NAOKI ITOH, FUMIYOSHI KUWASHIMA, KOKI ICHIHASHI, AND HARUHIKO MUTOH
     Department of Physics, Sophia University, 7-1, Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku,
                               Tokyo 102, Japan

                                   ABSTRACT

        The Rosseland mean free-free Gaunt factor of the dense
     high-temperature stellar plasma is calculated, based on both the
     accurate relativistic cross section and Sommerfeld's exact
     nonrelativistic cross section. A wide range of electron degeneracy is
     accurately taken into account. Comparison of the resulting free-free
     opacity with the electron conduction opacity is made.

     Subject headings: atomic processes - dense matter - opacities - plasmas