Propagation of Ionizing Electric-Field Solitary Waves in Shielded Discharge Tubes with Preionization

Abstract

In this chapter, we shall give a theoretical treatment of ionization waves propagating with high velocities (V ~ 10⁸ – 10¹⁰ cm/s) in extended discharge tubes filled with preliminary ionized plasma. These waves have been observed in a large number of experiments with different gases and within a very wide range of parameters of plasma and discharge designs (Westberg [1959]; Loeb [1965]; Winn [1967]; Asinovskii et al. [1975]; Suzuki [1977]; Asinovskii, Vasilyak, and Markovets [1983]). In the majority of the experiments, the discharge tube is covered by a grounded metal screen. The voltage pulse |U| ~ 10³ – 10⁵ V is applied between one of the electrodes and the screen. The typical rise duration of the applied pulse is Δt ~ 10^-8 – 10^-9 s. The electrode positioned at the opposite end of the tube is connected to the screen either directly or in series with an external load. Since the principal observations of the behavior of ionization waves in discharge tubes have been already described in Section 2 of Chapter 1, let us proceed directly to the statement of the problem and the formulation of the model of ionizing waves.