Conservative differencing of the electron Fokker-Planck transport equation

We need to extend the applicability and improve the accuracy of kinetic electron transport codes. In this paper, special attention is given to modelling of e-e collisions, including the dominant contributions arising from anisotropy. The electric field and spatial gradient terms are also considered. I construct finite-difference analogues to the Fokker-Planck integral-differential collision operator, which conserve the particle number, momentum and energy integrals (sums) regardless of the coarseness of the velocity zoning. Such properties are usually desirable, but are especially useful, for example, when there are spatial regions and/or time intervals in which the plasma is cool, so that the collision operator acts rapidly and the velocity distribution is poorly resolved, yet it is crucial that gross conservation properties be respected in hydro-transport applications, such as in the LASNEX code. Some points are raised concerning spatial differencing and time integration.