Field-enhanced propagation of corona streamers

Autor: C. T. Phelps
Rok vydání: 1971
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of Geophysical Research. 76:5799-5806
ISSN: 0148-0227
DOI: 10.1029/jc076i024p05799
Popis: Experiments are described in which the lengths of positive and negative streamers, propagating within a region characterized by a uniform electric field, are determined as a function of field strength. Streamers were generated from the application of a short rise-time voltage pulse to a point electrode and from field-induced hydrodynamic instability of a falling water drop. Positive streamers display marked length enhancement with ambient electric fields in the direction of propagation greater than about 6×105 v m−1 and lengths apparently limited only by the spatial extent of the field above about 7×105 v m−1, depending somewhat upon the absolute humidity of the air. Negative streamers show only a small length enhancement with ambient fields as high as 8×105 v m−1. The results with positive streamers are discussed in terms of a model in which the propagating tip becomes isolated from its anode source and derives energy from interaction with the ambient electric field. Since the ambient field within an active thundercloud may reasonably attain the necessary strength for long-range propagation, these results suggest that positive streamer processes may be very important in charge drainage and in altering the droplet charge spectrum.
Databáze: OpenAIRE