Modes of runaway electron beams during formation of diffuse discharges in air and nitrogen

Abstract

Investigations of the generation of runaway electron beams (REs) and the for-mation of diffuse discharges during breakdown of gaps with a cathode, which has a small radius of curvature, have been carried out. In air and nitrogen at elevated pressure, based on the registration and analysis of the characteristics of radiation from discharge, as well as parameters of the RE beam current and dynamic dis-placement current, it is shown that, depending on the conditions (E/N, gas type and its pressure, design and material of the cathode, amplitude and front of the voltage pulse), diffe- rent modes of generation of runaway electron beams are realized. It was found that the ratio of the velocity of the front of the ionization wave (streamer) and the runaway electrons, as well as the design of the cathode and the delay time before the explosion of cathode microinhomogeneities, significantly affect the generation of runaway electrons. The conditions for the realization of various modes are de-termined; oscillograms of the beam current pulses and photographs of the glow of the gap are presented.