The mechanism of secondary processes in the streamer breakdown of gases

Abstract

Mechanisms which may act as secondary processes in the streamer breakdown of isotropic gases and air are considered. In the case of air it is shown that mechanisms connected with the collisions of excited oxygen molecules with groundstate nitrogen and oxygen molecules play the primary role.

Ionization phenomenon in high-density gaseous and liquid argon in corona discharge experiments

“…The charged particle production by this reaction occurs by collision of an excited atom Ar * with an atom in the ground state. The reaction occurs if the excitation energy E * of an atom Ar * is larger than the difference between the ionization potential of the Ar atom I = 15.76 eV and the dissociation energy E d = 1.23 eV of molecular ion Ar + 2[26] E * > I − E d .…”

Computer simulation of a nitrogen discharge at high overvoltages

“…The data by Penney and Hummert also have a part with a smaller absorption coefficient, though the intensity is far lower. An account for this part may be made assuming a reaction Nz+Nz*-t N4++e (Lozansky 1969), N2* denoting the excited neutral molecule. Since the dissociation energy of NqL into Nz +Nz+ is about 0-069 eV (Flannery et aZ1973), photons with energies slightly lower than the first ionization energy may serve for the reaction (Lozansky 1969).…”

“…An account for this part may be made assuming a reaction Nz+Nz*-t N4++e (Lozansky 1969), N2* denoting the excited neutral molecule. Since the dissociation energy of NqL into Nz +Nz+ is about 0-069 eV (Flannery et aZ1973), photons with energies slightly lower than the first ionization energy may serve for the reaction (Lozansky 1969). These photons may have absorption coefficients around an order of magnitude smaller than the value above (Cook and Metzger 1964).…”

Impulse breakdown of positive point - plane gaps in air containing charged particles

“…Also photodetachment can occur without the existence of highly excited states of nitrogen molecules which must then decay directly to the ground state in order to produce the radiation essential for photoionization. Lozansky (1969) has considered photoionization as a possible process involved in the streamer breakdown of uniform field gaps in air. He concluded that in this case photoionization could not be important because the large absorption coefficient of the necessary high energy photons would result in them being absorbed before they could move sufficiently 1220 F. D. A .…”