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Non-Perturbative Solutions to the Vlasov-Boltzmann Equation for Weakly Ionized Plasmas

Plasma Physics 2025-07-16 v1

Abstract

The electron energy distribution function (EEDF) in low-temperature plasmas exhibits features not fully captured by classical collisional models, particularly across the transition from kinetic to hydrodynamic regimes. This work attributes these phenomena to a dynamically broken scale invariance within the Vlasov-Boltzmann equation. By applying renormalization group (RG) techniques directly to the kinetic operator, we derive non-perturbative EEDF solutions valid across a range of collisionality. The formalism yields analytic scaling relations for electron heating and predicts the emergence of distinct EEDF forms - bimodal in the kinetic limit and generalized exponential in the hydrodynamic limit - separated by a critical pressure. It is shown that the stable RG fixed point governing the system's long-time behavior corresponds to a state of minimum entropy production, establishing a thermodynamic basis for plasma self-organization. The theory provides a quantitative explanation for the experimentally observed universal data collapse of rescaled EEDFs and resolves standing issues like Godyak's EEDF metamorphosis.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2507.10565,
  title  = {Non-Perturbative Solutions to the Vlasov-Boltzmann Equation for Weakly Ionized Plasmas},
  author = {Joel Saucedo and Uday Lamba and Hasitha Mahabaduge},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2507.10565},
  year   = {2025}
}

Comments

30 pages, 7 figures