Abstract
The role of runaway and thermal electrons in the nanosecond diffuse-channel discharge in nitrogen is compared. The nitrogen pressure is 1 atm, the gap is 1 mm, the voltage is 100 kV, i.e., the reduced electric field strength in the gap is 1200 V/cm · Torr. It is shown that each thermal electron (TE) can produce a significantly larger number of electrons in comparison with one runaway electron (RE). The total RE multiplication rate is low as compared to TE. For example, if the number of RE is 10% of the entire electron ensemble, the TE formation rate will be higher than the RE formation rate by a factor of 40.
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This study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, project no. 19-79-30086.
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Translated by A. Kazantsev
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Mesyats, G.A., Mamontov, Y.I. & Vasenina, I.V. On Thermal and Runaway Electrons in a Nanosecond Discharge in Nitrogen. Bull. Lebedev Phys. Inst. 49, 336–340 (2022). https://doi.org/10.3103/S1068335622100074
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3103/S1068335622100074