On the calculation of ion and electron swarm properties by path integral methods

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Abstract
A spatial moment analysis of the path integral form of the Boltzmann equation has led to a physical interpretation of certain distributions occurring in diffusion problems. This has also unveiled an error in a published calculation of longitudinal diffusion of electrons in CH4, and show that the discrepancy between this calculation and others is not due to the path integral approach per se. Some cold gas model calculations have been performed, using the method of successive collisions, to demonstrate the feasibility of a path integral approach to the determination of ion swarm transport coefficients and velocity distributions.