Nonequilibrium Kolmogorov-type particle distributions and their applications

The paper reviews the current state of research on nonequilibrium (Kolmogorov type) stationary and nonstationary distributions of particles with statically screened Coulomb interaction that are exact solutions of the Boltzmann or Landau collision integral with a source and a sink ensuring the energy flow along the spectrum in momentum space. Analysis is made of the advantages of the new process (based on nonequilibrium distributions) of energy conversion and of the time-dependent nonequilibrium kinetics of an electron–phonon system of a crystal in a strong electric field (electroplastic effect).