Bremsstrahlung of fast electrons in long air gaps
- P. N. Lebedev Physical Institute, RAS, 119991 Moscow (Russian Federation)
The results of an experiment on discharges in long atmospheric pressure air gaps at a pulsed voltage of amplitude up to 800 kV and risetime 150-200 ns have been analyzed. In the experiment, a radiation pulse of photon energy >5 keV and duration 10-20 ns was observed. In analyzing the experimental data it was supposed that a streamer is a plasma protrusion whose surface is equipotential to the cathode surface. It has been shown that the x-ray pulse results from the switch of electrons into the mode of ''runaway'' from the head of anode-directed streamers. For the electrons injected in the electrode gap from the streamer head, conditions for their switching into the mode of continuous acceleration are realized due to the enhanced electric field at the head. The predicted maximum of the spectrum of the bremsstrahlung generated by the runaway electron beam is around 15 keV. The presence of a maximum in the bremsstrahlung spectrum is due to that the photons emitted by electrons are absorbed by atoms of the gas in which the discharge operate.
- OSTI ID:
- 22043601
- Journal Information:
- Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 19; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
High repetition rate burst-mode spark gap
Simulation of decelerating streamers in inhomogeneous atmosphere with implications for runaway electron generation
Conference
·
Thu Jun 15 00:00:00 EDT 1978
·
OSTI ID:6619899
Simulation of decelerating streamers in inhomogeneous atmosphere with implications for runaway electron generation
Journal Article
·
Sun Feb 07 19:00:00 EST 2021
· Journal of Applied Physics
·
OSTI ID:1849202