Abstract
The motion of ions under the influence of an electric field and a density gradient is investigated by taking into account only charge-transfer collisions between the ions and a neutral gas background. The two model cases of constant mean free path and constant mean free time are considered. For weak electric fields the Boltzmann equation can be solved using a special expansion of the velocity distribution. The expansion in Sonine polynomials as given by Chapman and Cowling does not converge. For medium and high electric fields the velocity distribution is calculated by collecting the contributions of the different paths of the ions. The inhomogeneous drift in high electric fields is investigated for a small perturbation by gradients of the electric field, the ion density and of the mean free path.
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