AN ITERATIVE APPROACH TO THE PHONON BOLTZMANN-EQUATION IN THE THEORY OF THERMAL-CONDUCTIVITY

A new iterative approach to the solution of the Boltzmann equation is presented. The convergence of the iteration procedure is checked in re ference to an isotropic solid subjected to a thermal gradient. The res ulting thermal conductivity for an argon crystal at 80 K is consistent with the answer of a variational calculation previously performed in the frame of the same model. The extension of the method to any kind o f transport problems, for any system of interacting particles, is sugg ested.