Gas Number Density Research Articles

Hubble Space Telescope observations of nearby type 1 quasars. I. Characterization of the extended [O iii] 5007 Å emission

ABSTRACT We use the Hubble Space Telescope to analyse the extended [O iii] 5007 Å emission in seven bright radio-quiet type 1 quasars (QSO1s), focusing on the morphology and physical conditions of their extended Narrow-Line Regions (NLRs). We find NLRs extending 3–9 kpc, with four quasars showing roughly symmetrical structures ($b/a$=1.2–1.5) and three displaying asymmetric NLRs ($b/a$=2.4–5.6). When included with type 1 and type 2 AGNs from previous studies, the sizes of the extended [O iii] regions scale with luminosity as $R_{\rm [O\,{\rm {\small III}}]}\sim L_{\rm [O\,{\rm {\small III}}]}^{0.5}$, consistent with photoionization. However, when analysed separately, type 1s exhibit a steeper slope ($\gamma _{1}$ = 0.57 $\pm$ 0.05) compared to type 2 AGNs ($\gamma _{2}$ = 0.48 $\pm$ 0.02). We use photoionization modelling to estimate the maximum NLRs sizes, assuming a minimum ionization parameter of log$(U)=-3$, an ionizing luminosity based on the $L_{\rm [O\,{\rm {\small III}}]}$-derived bolometric luminosity, and a minimum gas number density $n_{\rm H}\sim 100$ cm$^{-3}$, assuming that molecular clouds provide a reservoir for the ionized gas. The derived sizes agree well with direct measurements for a sample of type 2 quasars, but are underestimated for the current sample of QSO1s. A better agreement is obtained for the QSO1s using bolometric luminosities derived from the 5100 Å continuum luminosity. Radial mass profiles for the QSO1s show significant extended mass in all cases, but with less [O iii]-emitting gas near the central AGN compared to QSO2s. This may suggest that the QSO1s are in a later evolutionary stage than QSO2s, further past the blow-out stage.

X-ray occultations in active galactic nuclei: Physical properties of eclipsing clouds as part of the broad-line region cloud ensemble

Context. Short-term X-ray variability in active galactic nuclei (AGNs) can be explained as being due to varying X-ray absorption induced by the temporary occultation of the primary X-ray source, when moving absorbing clouds cross the line of sight to the X-ray source itself. Earlier work suggests that these absorbing clouds have physical properties similar to those of broad-line region (BLR) emitting clouds and are located in the same spatial region. Aims. We intend to extract physical information on each individual absorber associated with any given occultation event detected in our sample and to analyse general properties of the cloud ensemble whose components can produce X-ray eclipses. Methods. From the analysis of previously detected occultation events, two ‘observables’ characterising each single occultation event can be derived: the peak fractional hardness ratio variation (ΔHR/HR) and the duration of the event normalised by a characteristic eclipse timescale evaluated for each AGN source. To determine the eclipsing cloud properties, we devised a procedure a) based on simplifying assumptions on the geometry of both the X-ray source and the cloud-like gas condensations, and on the cloud X-ray absorbing properties in the energy range of interest (2–10 keV), and b) relying on a set of simulated instrumental responses from both XMM and Suzaku relevant instruments to different incoming X-ray spectra, absorbed with varying absorber column density and maximum covering factor during the occultation. Thus, we derived information on the individual cloud producing any given occultation event, determining the cloud radius normalised to that of the X-ray source, the spatial location of the cloud, and an estimate of the cloud gas number density for reasonable values of the equivalent absorber column density. Results. The physical properties of eclipsing clouds that we obtained are consistent with those of BLR clouds. We can exclude the dominance, in the ensemble cloud size distribution, of clouds larger than about 10–12 times the Schwarzschild radius characterising each AGN, and we do not find any significant dependence of the cloud physical size on the distance from the central black hole, in agreement with the results of our previous work. As for the number density of these gas condensations, with our procedure we obtained values within a range of ∼109 − 1011 cm−3, which is consistent with the estimates derived from broad emission line analysis.

Hot Gas Outflow Properties of the Starburst Galaxy NGC 4945

We analyze 330 ks of Chandra X-ray imaging and spectra of the nearby, edge-on starburst and Seyfert type 2 galaxy NGC 4945 to measure the hot gas properties along the galactic outflows. We extract and model spectra from 15 regions extending from −0.55 to +0.85 kpc above and below the galactic disk to determine the best-fit parameters and metal abundances. We find that the hot gas temperatures and number densities peak in the central regions and decrease along the outflows. These profiles are inconsistent with a spherical, adiabatically expanding wind model, suggesting the need to include mass loading and/or a nonspherical outflow geometry. We estimate the mass outflow rate of the hot wind to be 1.6 M ⊙ yr−1. Emission from charge exchange is detected in the northern outflow, and we estimate it contributes 12% to the emitted, broadband (0.5–7 keV) X-ray flux.

Gas physisorption impact on prolate dust in free-molecule flows: A static study

Gas–solid coupling systems operating at low pressure or the micro/nanoscale generally exist in nature and industrial manufacture. Although the gas-scattering model has been widely used to study this problem on the dust surface, the consideration of gas physisorption was often neglected in previous applications of gas–surface scattering models. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the distribution of gas physisorption on the dust surface and assess its impact on the static force experienced by nonspherical dust in free-molecule flows. In this study, the prolate dust spinning around its minor axis is considered and the in-house direct simulation Monte Carlo code is used. Results show that gas physisorption on prolate dust is influenced by changes in gas number densities, Mach number, and dust shape. Furthermore, the gas physisorption enhances the gas–dust coupling for dust with a smooth surface at low gas pressure, attributed to the increasing ratio of Maxwell diffuse scattering of gas molecules on the gas-adsorbed part of the surface. Hence, gas physisorption was suggested as a potential factor for gas–dust coupling at low gas pressure.

Study of the thrust response characteristics of Hall Micro Thruster

An advanced Watt class Hall Micro Thruster (HMT) is offered for Space Gravitational Wave Detection (SGWD), and an investigation has been conducted on its start-up, shutdown, rise, and fall response times. The research involved creating a circuit for thruster discharge and signal acquisition, using a Faraday probe to measure the plasma plume signal generated by the thruster, and characterizing the thrust directly. Ultimately the response time of the thruster is extracted from the discharge current and Faraday current signals. The experimental results demonstrate that the HMT has a response time ranging from 1.08 ms to 16.76 ms at mass flow rates of 0.02 mg/s and 0.04 mg/s, meeting the SGWD requirements for micro thruster response time. This research provides a physical foundation and explanation for the variation of HMT response time with discharge voltage versus mass flow rate with several key parameters that affect HMT plasma discharge, such as neutral gas number density (nn) and ionization mean free path (λi). Furthermore, we have examined several anomalies in the signal. Overall, this research provides a brand-new method for measuring the thrust response time of electric thrusters.

Thermal Transpiration Flow: Molecular Dynamics Study from Dense to Dilute Gas

Thermal transpiration flow, a flow from cold to hot, driven by a temperature gradient along a wall under a high Knudsen number condition, was studied using the molecular dynamics method with a two-dimensional channel consisting of infinite parallel plates with nanoscale clearance based on our previous study. To accelerate the numerical analysis, a dense gas was employed in our previous study. In this study, the influence of the number density of gas was investigated by varying the height of the channel while keeping the number of molecules to achieve the flow ranging from dense to dilute gas while maintaining a constant Knudsen number. From the flow velocity profile compared to the number density profile, the thermal transpiration flow was observed for all number density conditions from dense to dilute gas. A similar flow structure was exhibited regardless of the number density. Thus, the numerical analysis in a dense gas condition is considered to be valid and useful for analyzing the thermal transpiration flow.

Analysis of the Plasma Discharge Phenomena for Ceramic Metal Halide Lamps Using Finite Element Method

Metal halide (MH) lamps comes under the category of high intensity discharge (HID) lamps, which involves high intensity thermal plasma discharge phenomenon. In this paper we have considered ceramic MH lamps. The plasma discharge in MH lamps is different from other plasma discharge by the velocity of all the discharge obeys Maxwellian distribution, the excited energy states are occupied by Boltzmann distribution, and composition of the plasma can be derived from local chemical equilibrium. This paper explores the temperature distribution and the immediate effects towards the life of MH lamp. The temperature profile for the MH lamp is numerically investigated using WELSIM 2.0, considering the lamp plasma model mathematical equations. Since electrode plays a significant role, influencing MH lamp life, it becomes imperative to understand the electrodes. In this context, the energy balance equation is taken into consideration. The equations are solved using finite element method. The necessary boundary condition for solution of the equation is the plasma boundary layer for the cathode heat conduction. The analysis provides the temperature distribution inside the lamp for different electrode geometry. The solutions to the equations have been pictorially investigated for the lamp starting phenomena and E/N ratio. For HID lamps in general, the improvements in HID technology are all linked to the performance of the arc tube, and within that tube, the chemical reaction, the pressure, and the temperature of the reaction. Another feature in the case of MH lamps that is worth mentioning in the determination of lamp life is the ratio between electric field to gas number density. From the above, we can draw the following conclusion that the radiation transport mechanism of the HID lamps plays a pivotal role apart from other parameters influencing the lifetime of HID lamps. The paper envisages all these aspects using PDEs, the solutions of which provide an insightful understanding of the phenomena substantially.

Numerical strategy for solving the Boltzmann equation with variable E/N using physics-informed neural networks

A novel strategy to solve the Boltzmann equation with variable reduced electric field by using an artificial neural network (ANN) is introduced, where is the electric field and is the gas number density. In this method, the ANN learns the electron velocity distribution function (EVDF) for arbitrary in the Boltzmann equation. Thus, the ANN can calculate the EVDFs in the training range of without additional training. For validation of the ANN, the EVDFs in each Ar and SF6 gas were calculated with the trained ANN. The electron energy distribution function and electron transport coefficients calculated from the EVDF quantitatively agree with those from another ANN for a single and those from a Monte Carlo simulation, proving the validity of the present method.

Numerical simulation optimization of neutral flow dynamics in low-power Hall thruster

This paper utilizes a low-power Hall thruster to investigate its flow field’s neutral flow dynamics. Specifically, under a free molecular flow with a high Knudsen number (Kn>10), we employ the flow conductance theory to investigate the interplay between the internal structural parameters of the thruster flow field and its conductance, which is directly reflected in the neutral gas distribution.Hence, first, we increase the number and diameter of the orifices in the buffer chamber so that the baffle effectively increases the flow field conductance, and thus the number density (nn) of the neutral gas in the discharge channel increases. This phenomenon reduces the ionization mean free path (λi) and thus increases the utilization rate (ηi) of the neutral gas. Then, we alter the baffle orifices distribution to an unequally spaced distribution and stagger the outlet orifices, resulting in a highly homogeneity neutral gas distribution in the circumferential direction, ultimately increasing the effective outlet area and reducing the backflow probability of the neutral gas molecules. This operation reduces the low-frequency oscillation amplitude and thus enhances the thruster’s operation stability. Finally, we explore the influence of the entire operating conditions, especially temperature and mass flow rate variations, on the universality of the simulation results. Overall, this work provides a new concept for optimizing the neutral flow field dynamics of a Hall thruster.

ALMA Fragmented Source Catalog in Orion (FraSCO). I. Outflow Interaction within an Embedded Cluster in OMC-2/FIR 3, FIR 4, and FIR 5

We present a high-angular resolution (∼1″) and wide-field () image of the 1.3 mm continuum, CO(J = 2–1) and SiO(J = 5–4) line emissions toward an embedded protocluster, FIR 3, FIR 4, and FIR 5, in the Orion Molecular Cloud 2 obtained from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array. We identify 51 continuum sources, 36 of which are newly identified in this study. Their dust masses, projected sizes, and H2 gas number densities are estimated to be 3.8 × 10−5–1.1 × 10−2 M ⊙, 290–2000 au, and 6.4 × 106–3.3 × 108 cm−3, respectively. The results of a Jeans analysis show that ∼80% of the protostellar sources and ∼15% of the prestellar sources are gravitationally bound. We identify 12 molecular outflows traced in the CO(J = 2–1) emission, six of which are newly detected. We spatially resolve shocked gas structures traced by the SiO(J = 5–4) emission in this region for the first time. We identify shocked gas originating from outflows and other shocked regions. These results provide direct evidence of an interaction between dust condensation, FIR 4, and an energetic outflow driven by HOPS-370 located within FIR 3. A comparison of the outflow dynamical timescales, fragmentation timescales, and protostellar ages shows that the previously proposed triggered star formation scenario in FIR 4 is not strongly supported. We also discuss the spatial distribution of filaments identified in our continuum image by comparing it with a previously identified hub-fiber system in the N2H+ line.

Numerical Simulation of Plasma Plume With Gas–Surface Interaction and Chemical Reaction Coupling Effect Based on DSMC-PIC Parallel Algorithm

The spatio-temporal evolution of plasma plumes is accompanied by a series of complex chemical reactions and gas–surface interactions that crucially affect the working characteristics and performance of plasma devices. The direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) and particle-in-cell (PIC) hybrid parallel algorithm is often used to numerically simulate such phenomena. This article discusses the gas–surface interaction models of neutral molecules as elucidated by the parallel DSMC-PIC program. These models include the Maxwell model, the Cercignani–Lampis–Lord model, the complete diffuse reflection (CDR) gas–surface reflection model, and coupling with H combined reactions at the wall. Meanwhile, we consider the ion gas–surface interaction models, which include the CDR model and coupling of the four wall chemical reactions of ions. In addition, the dissociation reactions of H2 and recombination reactions of H are considered in the flow field. For various combinations of models, the simulations reveal the structural characteristics, number density, and coupling effects of gas–surface reflections, gas–surface chemical reactions, chemical reactions in the flow field and electric field, and spatio-temporal evolution of H2, H, <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$X$ </tex-math></inline-formula> , <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{H}_{2}^{+}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> , and <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{H}^{+}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> , which are shown by the structural characteristics of the number-density contours for different model combinations and analyzed in detail. The gas–surface interaction critically influences the number-density distribution near the wall and in the main flow. It also strongly affects the number-density distribution of light neutral molecules but not heavy neutral molecules and ions and produces the wall stacking effect. Apart from the stacking area, it has an indirect influence on the number-density distribution. The chemical reactions of ions on the wall affect the number-density distribution of all particles in the flow field and decisively affect the ions near the wall. Acceleration by the electric field intensifies the ion diffusion. The effect of coupling of gas–surface interaction and acceleration by the electric field is obvious. Via the number density and temperature, the chemical reactions in the flow field strongly affect the distribution of neutral molecules at the inlet; further, from the inlet, this effect weakens. Neutral particles and ions interact mainly through collisions.

Star formation time-scale in the molecular filament WB 673

ABSTRACT We present the observations of ammonia emission lines toward the interstellar filament WB 673 hosting the dense clumps WB 673, WB 668, S233-IR, and G173.57+2.43. LTE analysis of the lines allows us to estimate gas kinetic temperature (≲30K in all the clumps), number density (7–17 × 103 cm−3), and ammonia column density (≈1–1.5 × 1015 cm−2) in the dense clumps. We find signatures of collapse in WB 673 and presence of compact spatially unresolved dense clumps in S233-IR. We reconstruct 1D density and temperature distributions in the clumps and estimate their ages using astrochemical modelling. Considering CO, CS, NH3, and N2H+ molecules (plus HCN and HNC for WB 673), we find a chemical age of tchem = 1–3 × 105 yrs, providing the best agreement between the simulated and observed column densities in all the clumps. Therefore, we consider tchem as the chemical age of the entire filament. A long preceding low-density stage of gas accumulation in the astrochemical model would break the agreement between the simulated and observed column densities. We suggest that rapid star formation over a ∼105 yrs time-scale take place in the filament.

Properties of Electron Swarm Parameters in Tetrahydrofuran

Reported electron collision cross sections data in the energy range ~ 0 to 300 eV from gaseous biomolecule Tetrahydrofuran (THF) have been used to calculate the electron energy distribution function (EEDF) and swarm parameters for electrically excited of THF, using a two-term solution of the Boltzmann equation. The electron swarm parameters namely (mean energy, drift velocity, diffusion coefficient, electron mobility, characteristic energy, attachment and ionization coefficient), at room temperature and atmospheric pressure are presented over a wide range of applied electric field strength E/N (E is the electric field and N is the gas number density) varying from 0.1 Td to 1000 Td (1Td = 10-17 Vcm2). The EEDF found to be non-Maxwellian. The electron swarm parameters are compared with those calculated using multi term kinetic theory and experimentally using the pulsed Townsend technique. The influence of inelastic cross section on the calculated transport parameters is also explained.

Initial transient stage of pin-to-pin nanosecond repetitively pulsed discharges in air

In this work, evolution of parameters of nanosecond repetitively pulsed (NRP) discharges in pin-to-pin configuration in air was studied during the transient stage of initial 20 discharge pulses. Gas and plasma parameters in the discharge gap were measured using coherent microwave scattering, optical emission spectroscopy, and laser Rayleigh scattering for NRP discharges at repetition frequencies of 1, 10, and 100 kHz. Memory effects (when perturbations induced by the previous discharge pulse would not decay fully until the subsequent pulse) were detected for the repetition frequencies of 10 and 100 kHz. For 10 kHz NRP discharge, the discharge parameters experienced significant change after the first pulse and continued to substantially fluctuate between subsequent pulses due to rapid evolution of gas density and temperature during the 100 μs inter-pulse time caused by intense redistribution of the flow field in the gap on that time scale. For 100 kHz NRP discharge, the discharge pulse parameters reached a new steady-state at about five pulses after initiation. This new steady-state was associated with well-reproducible parameters between the discharge pulses and substantial reduction in breakdown voltage, discharge pulse energy, and electron number density in comparison to the first discharge pulse. For repetition frequencies 1–100 kHz considered in this work, the memory effects can be likely attributed to the reduction in gas number density and increase in the gas temperature that cannot fully recover to ambient conditions before subsequent discharge pulses.

Kinetic theory of granular particles immersed in a molecular gas

The transport coefficients of a dilute gas of inelastic hard spheres immersed in a gas of elastic hard spheres (molecular gas) are determined. We assume that the number density of the granular gas is much smaller than that of the surrounding molecular gas, so that the latter is not affected by the presence of the granular particles. In this situation, the molecular gas may be treated as a thermostat (or bath) of elastic hard spheres at a fixed temperature. The Boltzmann kinetic equation is the starting point of the present work. The first step is to characterise the reference state in the perturbation scheme, namely the homogeneous state. Theoretical results for the granular temperature and kurtosis obtained in the homogeneous steady state are compared against Monte Carlo simulations showing a good agreement. Then, the Chapman–Enskog method is employed to solve the Boltzmann equation to first order in spatial gradients. In dimensionless form, the Navier–Stokes–Fourier transport coefficients of the granular gas are given in terms of the mass ratio$m/m_g$($m$and$m_g$being the masses of a granular and a gas particle, respectively), the (reduced) bath temperature and the coefficient of restitution. Interestingly, previous results derived from a suspension model based on an effective fluid–solid interaction force are recovered in the Brownian limit ($m/m_g \to \infty$). Finally, as an application of the theory, a linear stability analysis of the homogeneous steady state is performed showing that this state is always linearly stable.

The 3D Direct Simulation Monte Carlo Study of Europa’s Gas Plume

Europa has been spotted as having water outgassing activities by space- and ground-based telescopes as well as reanalysis of the Galileo data. We adopt a 3D Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) model to investigate the observed plume characteristics of Europa assuming that supersonic expansion originated from the subsurface vent. With a parametric study of the total gas production rate and initial gas bulk velocity, the gas number density, temperature and velocity information of the outgassing plumes from various case studies were derived. Our results show that the plume gases experience acceleration through mutual collisions and adiabatic cooling when exiting from the surface. The central part of the plume with relatively large gas production rates (1029 and 1030 H2O s−1) was found to sustain thermal equilibrium and near continuum condition. Column density maps integrated along two different viewing angles are presented to demonstrate the importance of the projection effect on remote sensing diagnostics. Finally, the density profiles at different altitudes are provided to prepare for observations of Europa’s plumes including upcoming spacecraft missions such as JUICE and Europa Clipper.

Third-order transport coefficients for electrons in N2 and CF4: effects of non-conservative collisions, concurrence with diffusion coefficients and contribution to the spatial profile of the swarm

Using a multi-term solution of the Boltzmann equation and Monte Carlo simulation technique we study behaviour of the third-order transport coefficients for electrons in model gases, including the ionisation model of Lucas and Saelee and modified Ness–Robson model of electron attachment, and in real gases, including N2 and CF4. We observe negative values in the E/n 0-profiles of the longitudinal and transverse third-order transport coefficients for electrons in CF4 (where E is the electric field and n 0 is the gas number density). While negative values of the longitudinal third-order transport coefficients are caused by the presence of rapidly increasing cross sections for vibrational excitations of CF4, the transverse third-order transport coefficient becomes negative over the E/n 0-values after the occurrence of negative differential conductivity. The discrepancy between the two-term approximation and the full multi-term solution of the Boltzmann equation is investigated for electrons in N2 and CF4. While the accuracy of the two-term approximation is sufficient to investigate the behaviour of the third-order transport coefficients in N2, it produces large errors and is not even qualitatively correct for electrons in CF4. The influence of implicit and explicit effects of electron attachment and ionisation on the third-order transport tensor is investigated. In particular, we discuss the effects of attachment heating and attachment cooling on the third-order transport coefficients for electrons in the modified Ness–Robson model, while the effects of ionisation are studied for electrons in the ionisation model of Lucas and Saelee, N2 and CF4. The concurrence between the third-order transport coefficients and the components of the diffusion tensor, and the contribution of the longitudinal component of the third-order transport tensor to the spatial profile of the swarm are also investigated. For electrons in CF4 and CH4, we found that the contribution of the component of the third-order transport tensor to the spatial profile of the swarm between approximately 50 Td and 700 Td, is almost identical to the corresponding contribution for electrons in N2. This suggests that the recent measurements of third-order transport coefficients for electrons in N2 may be extended and generalized to other gases, such as CF4 and CH4.

The Nanosecond Impulsive Breakdown Characteristics of Air, N2 and CO2 in a Sub-mm Gap

The present paper investigates the breakdown characteristics—breakdown voltage, with breakdown occurring on the rising edge of the applied HV impulses, and time to breakdown—for gases of significance that are present in the atmosphere: air, N2 and CO2. These breakdown characteristics have been obtained in a 100 µm gap between an HV needle and plane ground electrode, when stressed with sub-µs impulses of both polarities, with a rise time up to ~50 ns. The scaling relationships between the reduced breakdown field Etip/N and the product of the gas number density and inter-electrode gap, Nd, were obtained for all tested gases over a wide range of Nd values, from ~1020 m−2 to ~1025 m−2. The breakdown field-time to breakdown characteristics obtained at different gas pressures are presented as scaling relationships of Etip/N, Nd, and Ntbr for each gas, and compared with data from the literature.

Optimizing high harmonic generation in hollow-core gas cell considering variation of gas density

We have developed a coherent and compact extreme-ultraviolet light source based on phase-matched high harmonic generation by using a hollow-core gas cell that can be easily aligned and maintain long stability. The gas cell consists of three bodies to minimize gas leakage and maintain stable vacuum. The photon flux was calculated considering the dependence of the gas number density and the pressure on the radii of the hollow core and the hole in the Al plates on both sides of the gas cell, which showed good coincidence with the experimental values.The photon flux is 2 × 1010 photons s−1 near 13.5 nm (91.5 eV) within 10 nm bandwidth. Also, the compact extreme-ultraviolet light source is found to operate stably for hours, which is suitable for practical applications such as metrology and inspection for extreme-ultraviolet mask, spectroscopy, holography, microscopy, etc.

Transport of electrons and propagation of the negative ionisation fronts in indium vapour

We study the transport of electrons and propagation of the negative ionisation fronts in indium vapour. Electron swarm transport properties are calculated using a Monte Carlo simulation technique over a wide range of reduced electric fields E/N (where E is the electric field and N is the gas number density) and indium vapour temperatures in hydrodynamic conditions, and under non-hydrodynamic conditions in an idealised steady-state Townsend (SST) setup. As many indium atoms are in the first metastable state at vapour temperatures of a few thousand Kelvin, the initial Monte Carlo code was extended and generalized to consider the spatial relaxation and the transport of electrons in an idealised SST experiment, in the presence of thermal motion of the host-gas atoms and superelastic collisions. We observe a significant sensitivity of the spatial relaxation of the electrons on the indium vapour temperature and the initial conditions used to release electrons from the cathode into the space between the electrodes. The calculated electron transport coefficients are used as input for the classical fluid model, to investigate the inception and propagation of negative ionisation fronts in indium vapour at various E/N and vapour temperatures. We calculate the electron density, electric field, and velocity of ionisation fronts as a function of E/N and indium vapour temperature. The presence of indium atoms in the first metastable state significantly affects the characteristics of the negative ionisation fronts. The transition from an avalanche into a negative ionisation front occurs faster with increasing indium vapour temperature, due to enhanced ionisation and more efficient production of electrons at higher vapour temperatures. For lower values of E/N, the electron density behind the streamer front, where the electric field is screened, does not decay as one might expect for atomic gases, but it could be increased due to the accumulation of low-energy electrons that are capable of initiating ionisation in the streamer interior.