Numerical studies on plasma bullet propagation and its inhibition in helium plasma jet at atmospheric pressure

Abstract

Summary form only given. Over the past years cold atmospheric pressure plasma jets (CAPPJ) have received considerable attention due to their unique capabilities and considerable application potentials in various industrial and scientific applications. It has been demonstrated by several research groups that CAPPJs are not continuous jets but discrete fast-moving plasma bullets with supersonic velocities in the order of104–105m/s. However, possible mechanisms responsible for the creation and propagation of plasma bullets still remain essentially open. Presently two explanations for this phenomenon exist. One is the ionization wave model, and the other is the streamer-like model based on photo-ionization.