Intensification of a thermal discontinuity in the positive column of a longitudinal discharge in helium

Journal Article · Fri Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1985 · High Temp. (Engl. Transl.); (United States)

OSTI ID:5484938

Bondarenko, A V; Lebedev, F V; Napartovich, A P; Smakotin, M M

An experimental study made of increments in thermal-ionization instability gives evidence of the existence of a thermal-ionization mechanism in the linear stage of contraction of a discharge in commercially pure helium. The effect of dissipative processes on the size of the increment and the limiting current is investigated. The results obtained agree with the theory and indicate that ambipolar and eddy diffusion play an important role in maintaining a steady discharge.

• OSTI ID: 5484938
• Journal Information: High Temp. (Engl. Transl.); (United States), Vol. 23:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
HELIUM
GLOW DISCHARGES
AMBIPOLAR DIFFUSION
CURRENT DENSITY
DISTURBANCES
EDDY CURRENTS
ELECTRON DENSITY
IONIZATION
NEUTRAL PARTICLES
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA SIMULATION
POSITIVE COLUMN
STEADY-STATE CONDITIONS
TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION
THERMAL DIFFUSION
CURRENTS
DIFFUSION
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
GASES
INSTABILITY
NONMETALS
PARTICLES
RARE GASES
SIMULATION
640304* - Atomic
Molecular & Chemical Physics- Collision Phenomena