ISSN:
1573-9120
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Electrical Engineering, Measurement and Control Technology
,
Physics
Notes:
Abstract We investigate a stationary one-dimensional ionization wave produced in a cold gas by an alternating electric field of frequency ω (the field is parallel to the direction of propagation of the wave). Primary attention is given to specific features associated with the existence of a plasma resonance transition region at the front of the wave, where the electric-field amplitude and, therefore, the collisional ionization rate of the gas have a pronounced maximum at low electron-collision frequencies ν≪ω. We investigate analytically and calculate numerically the parameters of the wave, which is described by a nonlinear diffusion equation. It is shown that a made of “ultrafast” discharge propagation with ionization wave velocity V→∞ for ν/ω→0 can be established in the gas due to resonance effects even if the external electric field has amplitude far below breakdown.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01040363
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