Waves of Ionization in Low Pressure Molecular Gas Discharges.
Abstract
The dispersion of waves of ionization were studied in nitrogen and in carbon dioxide. The waves were excited by current modulation and the dispersion recorded using a time-space display method. In N2 and in CO2 the ionization waves were cathode to anode forward waves. Their dispersion is presented as a function of the gas pressure and of the discharge currents. The waves with finite group velocity were always attenuated in the pressure range studied (0.3 to 5 torr) but standing striations were obtained at the lower pressures without current modulation. However in the mixture N2-CO2, the discharge was very unstable and showed a broad-band spectrum of low frequency oscillations. These self-excited oscillations did not permit time-sampling diagnostics. A 0 to 100 kHz digital correlator was applied to determine the characteristics of these apparently random ionization waves. Results of this experiment are presented. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1969
- Accession Number
- AD0855851
Entities
People
- Philip L. Newton
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology