Response of the electron kinetics on spatial disturbances of the electric field in nonisothermal plasmas

An efficient method for solving the inhomogeneous electron Boltzmann equation for a weakly ionized collision dominated plasma is represented. As a first application this method is used to investigate in a helium plasma the response of the electron velocity distribution function and of the relevant macroscopic quantities to the impact of spatially limited disturbances in the electric field. In addition to the field action elastic and (conservative) inelastic collisions of electrons with gas atoms are taken into account in the kinetic treatment. In this way the spatial relaxation behaviour of the electrons and their establishment into homogeneous plasma states could be studied on a strict kinetic basis. Unexpectedly large relaxation lengths in electron acceleration direction have been found at medium electric fields.