The article presents a review of the current state of the theory of avalanche-streamer processes, i.e., processes occurring during the development of discharges in dense gases. The principal attention is devoted to description of the physical picture of the phenomena. A systematic presentation is given of the theory of the main stages of formation of a discharge: the theory of electron avalanches, the theory of a selfmaintaining discharge, the theory of the avalanche-streamer transition, and the theory of streamers. The question of breakdown of long spark gaps is discussed briefly.

TY JOUR
TI Development of electron avalances and streamers
AU Lozanskii, É. D.
PB Physics-Uspekhi
PY 1975
JO Physics-Uspekhi
JF Physics-Uspekhi
JA Phys. Usp.
VL 18
IS 11
SP 893-908
UR https://ufn.ru/en/articles/1975/11/c/
ER https://doi.org/10.1070/PU1975v018n11ABEH005235