  For low-pressure discharges, when the electron mean free path is larger or
comparable with the discharge length, the electron dynamics is essentially
nonlocal. Moreover, the electron energy distribution function (EEDF) deviates
considerably from a Maxwellian. Therefore, an accurate kinetic description of
the low-pressure discharges requires knowledge of the nonlocal conductivity
operator and calculation of the nonMaxwellian EEDF. The previous treatments
made use of simplifying assumptions: a uniform density profile and a Maxwellian
EEDF. In the present study a self-consistent system of equations for the
kinetic description of nonlocal, nonuniform, nearly collisionless plasmas of
low-pressure discharges is derived. It consists of the nonlocal conductivity
operator and the averaged kinetic equation for calculation of the nonMaxwellian
EEDF. The importance of accounting for the nonuniform plasma density profile on
both the current density profile and the EEDF is demonstrated.
