Electric and Spectroscopic Studies of Pulsed Corona Discharges in Nitrogen at Atmospheric Pressure

This paper is mainly dedicated to the experimental electric and spectroscopic analysis of positive corona discharges in the case of point to plane configuration, generated in nitrogen at atmospheric pressure. The maximum corona current (a few hundreds of mA), the average current (a few μA) and the average propagation velocity (a few 107 cm/s) are analyzed with the variation of the applied voltage (a few kV) and the gap distance (not exceeding 16 mm). By using an ICCD camera, the dynamics of the discharge during the propagation of primary and secondary streamers across the gap distance was analyzed. Spectroscopic study is emphasized in a spectral range from 200 nm up to 500 nm, to determine the important excited species present in the gaseous environment such as the second positive and the first negative systems (SPS and FNS respectively). The identification of the quenching NOγ emission bands is also emphasized.