Numerical Simulation of Fast Atmospheric Electric Discharge in the Tip-to-Plane Configuration.

Abstract

This paper deals with the results of numerical simulation of the fast atmospheric pressure discharge in strongly non-uniform configuration of a tip-to-plane diode filled with nitrogen and oxygen mixture. The simulation is based on the advanced hydrodynamic discharge plasma accounting also gas photoionization. It was shown that in the absence of photoionization discharge develops unstable and photoionization suppresses this instability. Theoretical results fits the existing experimental data for the spatial discharge structure and the current/voltage discharge characteristics.