On the Solution of the Boltzmann Transport Equation with Relaxation Time Approximation

✍ Scribed by B. Fogarassy

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1963
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 474 KB
• Volume: 3
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0370-1972
• DOI: 10.1002/pssb.19630031217

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

In a previous paper [1] a solution of the Boltzmann transport equation in ascending powers of the external perturbations is derived for some very general conditions. In the present work a study is made of the higher‐order magnetic field terms arising in this solution, and also the limits of validity of the relaxationtime approximation are considered. In the present work it appears that the collision integral can only be replaced by a relaxation time tensor when the solution of the transport equation can be approximated by the first‐order terms. Finally it is shown that, for special scattering mechanisms, this relaxation time tensor reduces to a scalar, and under these conditions the approximation has a much wider applicability.