In order to make clear the physical grounds of deviations from LTE (Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium) in the atmospheric helium TIG arcs electron temperature and LTE temperature obtained from electron number density were measured by using of line-profile analysis of the laser scattering method without an assumption of LTE. The experimental results showed that in comparison with the argon TIG arcs, the region where a deviation from LTE occurs tends to expand in higher arc current because the plasma reaches the similar state to LTE within shorter distance from the cathode due to the slower cathode jet velocity. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.