Streamer discharges as advancing imperfect conductors: inhomogeneities in long ionized channels

DOI: 
10.1088/1361-6595/aa987a
Publication date: 
01/12/2017
Main author: 
Luque, A.
IAA authors: 
Luque, A.;González, M.;Gordillo-Vázquez, F. J.
Authors: 
Luque, A.;González, M.;Gordillo-Vázquez, F. J.
Journal: 
Plasma Sources Science Technology
Publication type: 
Article
Volume: 
26
Pages: 
125006
Abstract: 
A major obstacle for the understanding of long electrical discharges is the complex dynamics of streamer coronas, formed by many thin conducting filaments. Building macroscopic models for these filaments is one approach to attain a deeper knowledge of the discharge corona. Here, we present a one-dimensional, macroscopic model of a propagating streamer channel with a finite and evolving internal conductivity. We represent the streamer as an advancing finite-conductivity channel with a surface charge density at its boundary. This charge evolves self-consistently due to the electric current that flows through the streamer body and within a thin layer at its surface. We couple this electrodynamic evolution with a field-dependent set of chemical reactions that determine the internal channel conductivity. With this one-dimensional model, we investigate the formation of persisting structures in the wake of a streamer head. In accordance with experimental observations, our model shows that a within a streamer channel some regions are driven towards high fields that can be maintaned for tens of nanoseconds.
Database: 
ADS
URL: 
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/#abs/2017PSST...26l5006L/abstract
ADS Bibcode: 
2017PSST...26l5006L