Thermalization of high-energy electrons in the air is considered. It was shown that the formation of a volume charge in the gas during this process is due to the formation of negative oxygen ions. The characteristic times of formation and destruction of ions are considered. A mathematical model of the volume charge relaxation based on an estimate of the ion drift velocity in an electric field is constructed. A condition is obtained under which the drift of ions in an electric field prevails over the gas-dynamic expansion of the ionized substance as a whole.

electron, ion, attachment, drift, electric field

Mathematical modelling in actual problems of science and technics

Voronin Fyodor Nikolaevich,  ,  orcid.org/0000-0003-2649-0469,  KIAM RAS

Markov Mikhail Borisovich,  ,  orcid.org/0000-0002-3428-9688,  KIAM RAS

Parot'kin Sergey Vladimirovich,  ,  orcid.org/0000-0003-3793-6411,  KIAM RAS