Generation of streamers in an inhomogeneous electric field under low air pressure
E.Kh. Baksht, N.P. Vinogradov, V.F. Tarasenko
High Current Electronics Institute of the Siberian Branch of the RAS, Tomsk, Russia
Keywords: discharge in low-pressure atmospheric air, sprite modeling, tip-to-point gap, capacitive discharge, red streamer
Abstract
The conditions for generation of red streamers at an atmospheric air pressure of 0.1-10 Torr are experimentally studied. The mode of generation of streamers tens of centimeters in length from the plasma of an electrodeless capacitive discharge is implemented under low pressures. A discharge between metal small-curvature electrodes transforms into a stationary mode, where streamers are not generated, as the pressure and voltage increase. It was confirmed using the ICCD camera that the streamers start from the positive-polarity electrode. The color of the discharge plasma depends on the air pressure in pulsed and continuous discharges and is most consistent with the color of red sprites at a pressure of ~ 1 Torr.
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