Direction of motion of striations in an inert gas-hydrogen mixture

Abstract

Measurement of the direction of motion of striations in a He-H₂ and Ne-H₂ mixture proved the additivity of the mechanism of motion of striations in an inert gas and hydrogen. In a mixture of roughly 40% Ne and 60% H₂ at a pressure of 2 mm Hg the authors found a mixed wave of stratification with the phase velocity of the striations equal to zero. The striations produced in the immediate neighbourhood of the perturbation have the same direction of motion as in Ne but those at a greater distance are standing and at a still greater distance have the direction of motion as in H₂. The cause of the opposite direction of motion of the striations in hydrogen must be sought in the displacement of the ionization maximum towards the anode from the place of maximum concentration of the ions.