Abstract. Powerful metal halide vapour lasers are excited with nanosecond pulsed longitudinal discharge in complex multicomponent gas mixtures. Using a new method, thermal conductivity of various multicomponent gas mixtures is obtained under gas-discharge conditions, which are optimal for laser operation on the corresponding metal atom and ion transitions. Assuming that the gas temperature varies only in the radial direction and using the calculated thermal conductivities, an analytical solution of the steady-state heat conduction equation is found for uniform and radially nonuniform power input in various laser tube constructions. Using the results obtained for time-resolved electron temperature by measurement of electrical discharge characteristics and analytically solving steady-state heat conduction equation for electrons as well, radial distribution of time-dependent electron temperature is also obtained for the discharge period.

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