Heating waves in high-current discharges in dense alkali metal vapors

Discharges in dense alkali metal vapors are considered when the current density is small and heating is rapid and homogeneous. If a hot discharge flares in some part of the current volume, its distribution relative to cold matter is analogous to the movement of a flame under slow burning conditions. The problem of the motion and structure is formulated and approximately solved for the wavefront of the heating wave.