The Initial Stage of Diffuse Jet Formation in a Pulsed Discharge with a Non-Uniform Electric Field in Air

Abstract

Laboratory simulation of the conditions for the occurrence of blue jets in the Earth’s atmosphere has been carried out. For this purpose, the diffuse formation of jets and plasma buildup in corona and apokampic discharges in air has been studied. It is shown that the jets are formed due to streamer breakdown and their color depends on air pressure. At atmospheric air pressures of 30–120 Torr, streamers starting from different parts of a repetitively pulsed discharge are recorded in a nonuniform electric field. It has been ascertained that a spherical corona discharge is formed before a breakdown between pointed electrodes, near a metal high-voltage electrode of positive polarity, from which streamer coronas start as the voltage increases. Data on the streamer head size and streamer propagation speed in the corona and apokampic discharges are presented.