Electrical conductivity of noble gases at high pressures

Theoretical results for the electrical conductivity of noble gas plasmas are presented in comparison with experiment. The composition is determined within a partially ionized plasma model. The conductivity is then calculated using linear response theory, in which the relevant scattering mechanisms of electrons from ions, electrons, and neutral species are taken into account. In particular, the Ramsauer-Townsend effect in electron-neutral scattering is discussed and the importance of a correct description of the Coulomb logarithm in electron scattering by charged particles is shown. A detailed comparison with recent experiments on argon and xenon plasmas is given and results for helium and neon are also revisited. Excellent agreement between theory and experiment is observed, showing considerable improvement upon previous calculations