Development of a spark sustained by charging the stray capacitance of the external circuit in atmospheric-pressure nitrogen

• Published in: Plasma physics reports Vol. 33; no. 7; pp. 584 - 601
• Main Authors: Akishev, Yu. S., Aponin, G. I., Grushin, M. E., Karal’nik, V. B., Monich, A. E., Pan’kin, M. V., Trushkin, N. I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer Nature B.V 01-07-2007
• Subjects: 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE; CAPACITANCE; Charging; Circuits; CURRENTS; ELECTRIC POTENTIAL; Electric sparks; External pressure; Gas temperature; LIFETIME; NITROGEN; PLASMA; PLASMA EXPANSION; SIMULATION
• ISSN: 1063-780X; 1562-6938
• DOI: 10.1134/S1063780X07070082

Results are presented from experimental studies and numerical simulations of a spark discharge excited in a short point-plane gap filled with atmospheric-pressure nitrogen. The discharge was powered from a high-voltage source connected to the discharge gap through a large ballast resistance. In this case, a short-term spark develops only due to the charging of the stray capacitance of the external circuit; therefore, the energy released by the spark and its intensity are both low. Rapid current growth in a weak spark is accompanied by the contraction of the current channel rather than by its gasdynamic expansion, as it occurs in long-duration kiloampere sparks. Simulations show that, because of the very short spark lifetime, the plasma in a weak spark is substantially nonequilibrium and the gas temperature is fairly high.