Investigation of the optical and electrical characteristics of a spark gap

A spark-gap apparatus and a high-speed optoelectronic measurement system were used to examine the optical and electrical characteristics of spark discharges. Parameters studied included the magnitude and polarity of the discharge voltage, gap length, and the impedance of the discharge circuit. Analyses were performed to compare the measured optical signatures as a function of the discharge current. Results of the experimentally measured parameters compare well with theoretically computed values. The work has application in the study of electrostatic discharge (ESD) events.