Directional Propagation of Resistive-Barrier Discharge Above Water

A type of plasma discharge that propagates along the surface of a resistive barrier composed of an electrolyte in water is described. Electric fields parallel to the surface appear to steer the discharge in the direction of a submerged anode to produce a propagating plasma front that travels a distance of 20 cm or more along a trough, at a rate of
$\sim 10~\mathrm{ms}^{\mathrm {-1}}$
. The plasma’s optical spectrum shows the presence of excited OH radicals, and the relatively high energy density of the plasma indicates possible usefulness for industrial applications.