The condition for the self-maintenance of a gas discharge plasma (GDP) is derived from its ionization balance expressed in the Townsend form and may be used as a definition of a gas discharge plasma in its simplest form. The simple example of a gas discharge plasma in the positive column of a cylindrical discharge tube allows demonstrating a wide variety of possible GDP regimes, revealing a contradiction between simple models used to explain gas discharge regimes and the large number of real processes responsible for the self-maintenance of GDP. The variety of GDP processes also results in a stepwise change of plasma parameters and developing some instabilities as the voltage or discharge current is varied. As a consequence, new forms and new applications of gas discharge arise as technology progresses.

PACS: 34.80.−i, 51.50.+v, 52.20.−j, 52.80.−s (all) DOI: 10.3367/UFNe.0179.200906e.0591 URL: https://ufn.ru/en/articles/2009/6/e/ 000271221900005 2-s2.0-70449348486 2009PhyU...52..559S Citation: Smirnov B M "Modeling of gas discharge plasma" Phys. Usp. 52 559–571 (2009) BibTexBibNote ® (generic)BibNote ® (RIS)MedlineRefWorks Оригинал: Смирнов Б М «Моделирование газоразрядной плазмы» УФН 179 591–604 (2009); DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.0179.200906e.0591