A multiterm solution of the Boltzmann equation has been developed and used to calculate transport coefficients of charged-particle swarms in gases under the influence of electric and magnetic fields crossed at arbitrary angles when nonconservative collisions are present. The hierarchy resulting from a spherical-harmonic decomposition of the Boltzmann equation in the hydrodynamic regime is solved numerically by representing the speed dependence of the phase-space distribution function in terms of an expansion in Sonine polynomials about a Maxwellian velocity distribution at an internally determined temperature. Results are given for electron swarms in certain collisional models for ionization and attachment over a range of angles between the fields and field strengths. The implicit and explicit effects of ionization and attachment on the electron-transport coefficients are considered using physical arguments. It is found that the difference between the two sets of transport coefficients, bulk and flux, resulting from the explicit effects of nonconservative collisions, can be controlled either by the variation in the magnetic field strengths or by the angles between the fields. In addition, it is shown that the phenomena of ionization cooling and/or attachment cooling/heating previously reported for dc electric fields carry over directly to the crossed electric and magnetic fields. The results of the Boltzmann equation analysis are compared with those obtained by a Monte Carlo simulation technique. The comparison confirms the theoretical basis and numerical integrity of the moment method for solving the Boltzmann equation and gives a set of well-established data that can be used to test future codes and plasma models.

The pulsed-Townsend (PT) experiment is a well known swarm technique used to measure transport properties from a current in an external circuit, the analysis of which is based on the governing equation of continuity. In this paper, the Brambring representation (1964 Z. Phys. 179 532) of the equation of continuity often used to analyse the PT experiment, is shown to be fundamentally flawed when non-conservative processes are operative. The Brambring representation of the continuity equation is not derivable from Boltzmann’s equation and consequently transport properties defined within the framework are not clearly representable in terms of the phase-space distribution function. We present a re-analysis of the PT experiment in terms of the standard diffusion equation which has firm kinetic theory foundations, furnishing an expression for the current measured by the PT experiment in terms of the universal bulk transport coefficients (net ionisation rate, bulk drift velocity and bulk longitudinal diffusion coefficient). Furthermore, a relationship between the transport properties previously extracted from the PT experiment using the Brambring representation, and the universal bulk transport coefficients is presented. The validity of the relationship is tested for two gases Ar and SF₆, highlighting also estimates of the differences.

Electron attachment often imposes practical difficulties in Monte Carlo simulations, particularly under conditions of extensive losses of seed electrons. In this paper, we discuss two rescaling procedures for Monte Carlo simulations of electron transport in strongly attaching gases: (1) discrete rescaling, and (2) continuous rescaling. The two procedures are implemented in our Monte Carlo code with an aim of analyzing electron transport processes and attachment induced phenomena in sulfur-hexafluoride (SF ₆ ) and trifluoroiodomethane (CF ₃ I). Though calculations have been performed over the entire range of reduced electric fields E / n ₀ (where n ₀ is the gas number density) where experimental data are available, the emphasis is placed on the analysis below critical (electric gas breakdown) fields and under conditions when transport properties are greatly affected by electron attachment. The present calculations of electron transport data for SF ₆ and CF ₃ I at low E / n ₀ take into account the full extent of the influence of electron attachment and spatially selective electron losses along the profile of electron swarm and attempts to produce data that may be used to model this range of conditions. The results of Monte Carlo simulations are compared to those predicted by the publicly available two term Boltzmann solver BOLSIG+. A multitude of kinetic phenomena in electron transport has been observed and discussed using physical arguments. In particular, we discuss two important phenomena: (1) the reduction of the mean energy with increasing E / n ₀ for electrons in S F 6 and (2) the occurrence of negative differential conductivity (NDC) in the bulk drift velocity only for electrons in both S F 6 and CF ₃ I. The electron energy distribution function, spatial variations of the rate coefficient for electron attachment and average energy as well as spatial profile of the swarm are calculated and used to understand these phenomena.

A kinetic theory model is developed for positron-impact ionization (PII) with neutral rarefied gases. Particular attention is given to the sharing of available energy between the postionization constituents. A simple model for the energy-partition function that qualitatively captures the physics of high-energy and near-threshold ionization is developed for PII, with free parameters that can be used to fit the model to experimental data. By applying the model to the measurements of Kover and Laricchia [ Phys. Rev. Lett. 80, 5309 (1998)] for positrons in ${\mathrm{H}}_2$, the role of energy partitioning in PII for positron thermalization is studied. Although the overall thermalization time is found to be relatively insensitive to the energy partitioning, the mean energy profiles at certain times can differ by more than an order of magnitude for the various treatments of energy partitioning. This can significantly impact the number and energy distribution of secondary electrons.