POSITIVE-COLUMN STRIATIONS IN GASEOUS CONDUCTORS

Abstract

The positive column in certain gaseous conductors was examined by external electrostatic probe pickup, by photoelectric signal pickup, and by rotating mirror images for time-periodic oscillations and space-periodic striations. Mercury vapor with dc excitation gave moving positive striations (motion away from anode) of large amplitude with a velocity of about 50 meters per second. No direct observational evidence of negative striations was found, contrary to what has been reported by some authors, but there was some indirect evidence of weak negative striations. No stationary stria tion pattern was found in mercury vapor with dc excitation. Mercury vapor with ac excitation gave pronounced stationary striations, which were found to be the optical result of cyclic motion of a sequence of moving positive striations. Ultrapure hydrogen and helium were examined. No oscillation or striation phenomena were found in these gases with the exception of a pronounced stationary striation pattern in ultrapure hydrogen under dc excitation.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 19, 1962
Accession Number
AD0403436

Entities

People

  • B. E. Dobratz

Organizations

  • University of California, Berkeley

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acoustic Propagation
  • Air Force
  • Amplitude
  • Charged Particles
  • Contracts
  • Dc Motors
  • Direct Current
  • Discharge Tubes
  • Electron Tubes
  • Frequency
  • Government Procurement
  • Governments
  • Measurement
  • Observation
  • Phase Velocity
  • United States
  • Voltage

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science / Meteorology, specifically Wind Wave Turbulence.
  • Plasma Physics / Magnetohydrodynamics
  • Plasma Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster
  • Space - Orbital Debris