Impulse flashover trajectory in air in nonuniform fields

A video camera has been used to categorize the flashover tracks between point-to-plane and wire-to-plane electrodes. Positive impulse flashover produces zigzag and forked tracks, while negative voltages produce smooth tracks. The location of the impact on the plane electrode was found to be a function of the applied voltage and the length of the gap. A space-charge model is put forward to explain these results.<
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