Laboratory Simulation of Blue Jets with Apokampic Discharge in the Hz Frequency Range

Abstract

It is shown that the channel of apokampic discharge is a source of streamers at low air pressure and low frequencies (7–16 Hz) of high-voltage positive-polarity pulses and voltage amplitudes from 26 to 35 kV. The maximal starting speed of laboratory streamers was 560 km/s. A hypothesis about blue jet origination in nature is suggested based on experimental data. For their start, high frequencies of voltage pulses are not required, breakdowns in the Hz range are sufficient, but the discharge channel should bend and the field intensity should be high at the bending point.