Effects of ionizing radiation on the inception voltage of electrical discharges

Experiments are carried out to determine if changes in the level of ionizing radiation provoke detectable changes in the inception voltage of electrical discharges. The inception voltage for DC corona discharge from a sharp cathode is measured for four cases: i) ambient conditions, ii) shielded conditions, iii) in the presence of a beta source, and iv) in the presence of a gamma source. The results indicate a decrease of a few hundred volts in the inception voltage when sources of gamma or beta radiation are placed in the proximity of the discharge zone. No difference in the extinction voltage is detected between the different cases. Additionally, variability in the inception voltage is observed to be notably reduced in the presence of ionizing radiation.