We describe aspects of particle creation in strong fields using a quantum
kinetic equation with a relaxation-time approximation to the collision term.
The strong electric background field is determined by solving Maxwell's
equation in tandem with the Vlasov equation. Plasma oscillations appear as a
result of feedback between the background field and the field generated by the
particles produced. The plasma frequency depends on the strength of the initial
background field and the collision frequency, and is sensitive to the necessary
momentum-dependence of dressed-parton masses.Comment: 11 pages, revteX, epsfig.sty, 5 figures; Proceedings of 'Quark Matter
in Astro- and Particlephysics', a workshop at the University of Rostock,
Germany, November 27 - 29, 2000. Eds. D. Blaschke, G. Burau, S.M. Schmid
