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High-voltage nanosecond discharge in a dense gas at a high overvoltage with runaway electrons

The concepts of local and nonlocal models of the breakdown of dense gases are introduced. The basis for a nonlocal model with runaway electrons is discussed. Experimental results on electric discharges in dense gases which develop in a regime of intense electron runaway, in contrast with the classical forms of gas discharges, are reviewed. It is shown that electron runaway plays a fundamental role in the breakdown dynamics of dense gases over a wide range of conditions. Space-time and energy characteristics of the pulses of runaway electrons and of the accompanying $x$ radiation are reported. The involvement of runaway electrons in the breakdown mechanism can be seen in a shift of the minimum on the $U(Pd)$ curves toward higher values of $Pd$ as the overvoltage increases. When the overvoltage reaches a large factor, a polarization selfacceleration, as discussed by Askar'yan, occurs, and runaway electrons with energies $\varepsilon>eU_{\max}$ are generated. The breakdown of a dense gas in a strong field differs from that at a moderate overvoltage in that it ceases to be a purely volume process.

Fulltext pdf (1010 KB)
Fulltext is also available at DOI: 10.1070/PU1990v033n07ABEH002606
PACS: 52.80.Tn, 51.50.+v, 52.25.Os (all)
DOI: 10.1070/PU1990v033n07ABEH002606
URL: https://ufn.ru/en/articles/1990/7/b/
Citation: Babich L P, Loiko T V, Tsukerman V A "High-voltage nanosecond discharge in a dense gas at a high overvoltage with runaway electrons" Sov. Phys. Usp. 33 (7) 521–540 (1990)
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Оригинал: Бабич Л П, Лойко Т В, Цукерман В А «Высоковольтный наносекундный разряд в плотных газах при больших перенапряжениях, развивающийся в режиме убегания электронов» УФН 160 (7) 49–82 (1990); DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.0160.199007b.0049

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