Streamer Breakdown of Atmospheric-Pressure Air in a Non-Uniform Electric Field at High Overvoltages

Resumo

Experimental and theoretical investigations of a breakdown of atmospheric-pressure air are performed in a strongly non-uniform electric field. Using an ICCD-camera, the dynamics of formation of streamer and diffuse discharges is studied. The data on the streamer characteristics (propagation velocity, plasma parameters, dynamics of the nitrogen emission band N₂(C–B) are obtained during the breakdown development in a non-uniform electric field.