Electron Distribution Function and Electrical Conductivity of a Slightly Ionized Gas

Abstract

An expansion of a formally rigorous integral solution of the Boltzmann equation in powers of the electric field and m/M is used to demonstrate the correct expression for the conductivity of a spatially homogeneous slightly ionized gas. The conditions under which the isotropic part of the electron distribution function reduces to the Margenau distribution are determined. A discussion of the physical reasons for the possibility of negative conductivity is given.