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The generation of static charges by processes involving ionization of gases

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Static Electrification

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Abstract

Gases are usually very slightly electrical conductors. Normal gases such as the atmosphere are subjectet to a continuous bombardment of ionizing radiations such as cosmic rays from outside the earth, γ radiations from the earth’s crust, α, β and γ rays from radioactive emanations and dusts exuded or carried aloft from the earth, nowadays man made radioactive materials from nuclear devices, and in confined spaces, with metal walls from the minute radio active content of the walls. The various sources share about equally in creating the 20 new ion-electron pairs per cm3 per second usually measured. These figures are subject to considerable variation depending on local factors. Loss of ions in the atmosphere is largely by recombination. This process is slowed down somewhat by the attach­ment of carriers to larger aerosols present in the atmosphere. Thus generally speaking there are about 1000 to 10000 ions positive and negative per cm3 of air under normal conditions. These ions lead to very weak currents for applied fields and serve only to yield initiating carriers when fields reach proportions leading to gaseous breakdown. On the larger particles in suspension in the at­mosphere—such as the Langevin ions of some 106 molecules—there may from statistical accumulation of charge by encounters with ions be from one to several charges 76,77. For particles of 1 micron, 10−4 cm diameter with 1010 molecules charges up to 10 electrons can be observed, the median being around 3 as Kunkel 77 has shown, with the greatest number in a fixed charge interval at zero charge.

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    Leonard B. Loeb (Ph. D. Professor of Physics)

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Loeb, L.B. (1958). The generation of static charges by processes involving ionization of gases. In: Static Electrification. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-88243-2_6

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