Impulse flashover trajectory in air in nonuniform fields

Abstract

A video camera has been used to categorize the flashover tracks between point-to-plane and wire-to-plane electrodes. Positive impulse flashover produces zigzag and forked tracks, while negative voltages produce smooth tracks. The location of the impact on the plane electrode was found to be a function of the applied voltage and the length of the gap. A space-charge model is put forward to explain these results. >