Thermodynamics of hot dense H-plasmas: path integral Monte Carlo simulations and analytical approximations

This work is devoted to the thermodynamics of high-temperature dense hydrog en plasmas in the pressure region between 10(-1) and 10(2) Mbar. In particu lar, we present for this region results of extensive calculations based on a recently developed path integral Monte Carlo scheme (direct PIMC). This m ethod allows for a correct treatment of the thermodynamic properties of hot dense Coulomb systems. Calculations were performed in a broad region of th e non-ideality parameter Gamma less than or similar to 3 and degeneracy par ameter n(e)Lambda (3) less than or similar to 10. We give a comparison with a few available results from other path integral calculations (restricted PIMC) and with analytical calculations based on Pade approximations for str ongly ionized plasmas. Good agreement between the results obtained from the three independent methods is found.