Jaroslav Jánský

Simulation of the discharge propagation in a capillary tube in air at atmospheric pressure

This paper presents simulations of an air plasma discharge at atmospheric pressure initiated by a needle anode set inside a dielectric capillary tube. We have studied the influence of the tube inner radius and its relative permittivity ?r on the discharge structure and dynamics. As a reference, we have used a relative permittivity ?r = 1 to study only the influence of the cylindrical constraint of the tube on the discharge. For a tube radius of 100??m and ?r = 1, we have shown that the discharge fills the tube during its propagation and is rather homogeneous behind the discharge front. When the radius of the tube is in the range 300?600??m, the discharge structure is tubular with peak values of electric field and electron density close to the dielectric surface. When the radius of the tube is larger than 700??m, the tube has no influence on the discharge which propagates axially. For a tube radius of 100??m, when ?r increases from 1 to 10, the discharge structure becomes tubular. We have noted that the velocity of propagation of the discharge in the tube increases when the front is more homogeneous and then, the discharge velocity increases with the decrease in the tube radius and ?r. Then, we have compared the relative influence of the value of the tube radius and ?r on the discharge characteristics. Our simulations indicate that the geometrical constraint of the cylindrical tube has more influence than the value of ?r on the discharge structure and dynamics. Finally, we have studied the influence of photoemission processes on the discharge structure by varying the photoemission coefficient. As expected, we have shown that photoemission, as it increases the number of secondary electrons close to the dielectric surface, promotes the tubular structure of the discharge.

Simulation of helium discharge ignition and dynamics in thin tubes at atmospheric pressure

Simulations of the influence of electrode geometries on helium discharge ignition and dynamics in thin dielectric tubes are presented. In all studied cases, as observed in experiments, the discharge ignition occurs at the outer edges of the high voltage ring and the influence of the width of the grounded ring on the discharge dynamics is shown. Taking into account the change of permittivity encountered by the discharge as it exits from the tube, the velocity of the discharge front is shown to increase at the tube exit before decreasing downstream similarly to experimental observations.

Experimental and numerical study of the propagation of a discharge in a capillary tube in air at atmospheric pressure

This paper presents an experimental and numerical study of a pulsed air plasma discharge at atmospheric pressure propagating in a capillary glass tube. In this work, we have compared the discharge structures and the axial propagation velocities of discharges. First, we have studied a needle-to-plane configuration without tube. For applied voltages in the range 7–18u2009kV, we have observed in experiments and in simulations that a plasma ball starts to develop around the needle tip. Then, for applied voltages less than 14u2009kV, in experiments, the discharge rapidly splits into several streamer channels with a main axial streamer. In simulations, we have computed only the main axial discharge. For applied voltages higher than 14u2009kV, in experiments and in simulations, we have observed that the discharge propagates with a cone shape in the gap. For all studied voltages, a good experiment/modelling agreement is obtained on the axial propagation velocity of the discharge, which increases with the applied voltage. Then, we have studied the propagation of discharges inside capillary tubes with radii in the range 37.5–300u2009µm. In experiments and simulations, we have observed that for small tube radius, the discharge front is quite homogeneous inside the tube and becomes tubular when the tube radius increases. Experimentally, we have observed that the velocity of the discharge reaches a maximum for a tube radius slightly less than 100u2009µm. We have noted that for a tube radius of 100u2009µm, the discharge velocity is three to four times higher than the velocity obtained without tube. This clearly shows the influence of the confinement by a capillary tube on the discharge dynamics. In this work, we have only simulated discharges for tube radii in the range 100–300u2009µm. We have noted that both in experiments and in simulations, the velocity of the discharge in tubes increases linearly with the applied voltage. As the radius of the tube decreases, the discharge velocity derived from the simulations slightly increases but is less than the experimental one. We have noted that the discrepancy on the discharge velocity between experiments and simulations increases as the voltage increases.

Simulation of the reignition of a discharge behind a dielectric layer in air at atmospheric pressure

This paper presents simulations of an air plasma discharge at atmospheric pressure in a point-to-plane configuration with a dielectric layer in the path of the discharge. First, the dielectric layer is placed on the cathode plane and we study the influence of the permittivity and thickness of the dielectric on the positive streamer discharge dynamics and the dielectric surface charging. We show that the velocity of the surface discharge on the dielectric surface depends on the capacitance of the dielectric layer and decreases as this capacitance increases. Conversely, the amount of positive surface charge deposited by the positive surface discharge on the dielectric surface is not directly related to the value of the capacitance of the dielectric layer. However, the amount of surface charge deposited increases as the capacitance of the dielectric layer increases. Second, the dielectric layer is placed in the air gap as an obstacle for the propagation of the first streamer discharge ignited at the point electrode. In this case, after the impact on the dielectric, the first discharge spreads along the upper dielectric surface and we show that, depending on the location of the dielectric layer, its permittivity, its thickness and its opacity to radiation, a second discharge may reignite or not below the dielectric layer. During the discharge dynamics, positive charges are deposited on the upper surface of the dielectric and negative charges are deposited on its bottom surface. For all conditions studied in this work, we show that surface charge deposition on both faces of the dielectric layer has a small influence on the discharge reignition below the dielectric layer. Finally, with two closely spaced dielectric layers in the path of the discharge, a series of spreading/reignition for each dielectric layer is observed.

Charge balance and ionospheric potential dynamics in time‐dependent global electric circuit model

We have developed a time-dependent model of global electric circuit (GEC) in spherical coordinates. The model solves time-dependent charge continuity equation coupled with Poissons equation. An implicit time stepping is used to avoid a strict dielectric relaxation time step condition, and boundary conditions for Poissons equation are implemented to allow accurate description of time evolution of the ionospheric potential. The concept of impulse response of GEC is introduced that allows effective representation of complex time dynamics of various physical quantities in the circuit using model results obtained for instantaneous deposition of a point charge. The more complex problems are then reconstructed using convolution and linearity principles. For a point charge instantaneously deposited at a typical thundercloud altitude the impulse response of the charge density shows induction of the same value and polarity charge at the ionospheric boundary, while charge of the same value but opposite sign is moving down logarithmically with time and neutralizes the source point charge on time scale corresponding to the dielectric relaxation time at altitude of the source point charge. The ionospheric potential is modified immediately with input of the source point charge based on free space solution of Poissons equation. Then the ionospheric potential relaxes. It is shown that during formation of two main charge centers of the thundercloud, typically represented by a current dipole, the ionospheric potential can be determined from the difference of time integrals of two ionospheric potential impulse responses corresponding to charge locations at the opposite ends of the current dipole. For latitude- and longitude-independent conductivity model, the total charge on the Earth is exactly zero at all times. During cloud-to-ground lightning discharge, the ionospheric potential changes instantaneously by a value proportional to the charge moment change produced by lightning and then relaxes to zero. For a typical charge moment change of 35Ckm and lightning frequency 10s−1, the ionospheric potential changes by 9.3kV; this value agrees well with the results presented by Rycroft et al. (2007) and Rycroft and Odzimek (2010).

Large Conical Discharge Structure of an Air Discharge at Atmospheric Pressure in a Point-to-Plane Geometry

The experimental and simulated optical emissions of an air discharge at atmospheric pressure propagating in a point-to-plane geometry with a sharp point and a high overvoltage are compared. A conical discharge structure is observed. A good agreement on the maximum diameter of the discharge and its propagation velocity is obtained.

Simulation of two counter-propagating helium discharges at atmospheric pressure

This paper presents 2D simulations showing the dynamics of interaction between two counter-propagating helium discharges at atmospheric pressure. The discharges were generated in two glass tubes separated by a few centimeters in ambient air. First, we applied the same voltage to each electrode wrapped around each discharge tube. Simulation results show that discharges ignite in tubes and then propagate, approaching each other without merging, as observed in experiments. Using the optical emission of discharges, we have determined the minimum distance of approach of counter-propagating discharges. This minimum distance is of the order of the tube diameter, and varies with the tube radius and inversely to the applied voltage. For conditions with different applied voltages on the electrodes, simulation results show a connection of both counter-propagating discharges with an increase in the discharge emission in the interaction region. For conditions with a time delay between the voltage applied on both electrodes, based on the optical emission of discharges, we have observed that counter-propagating discharges approach each other without merging. The minimum distance is of the order of the tube diameter, as in the reference case, without time delay between both applied voltages. However, simulation results show that the electron density in the interaction region between both discharge channels is about one order of magnitude higher than that for the reference case.

Effects of conductivity perturbations in time-dependent global electric circuit model

This paper contributes to the understanding of the influence of conductivity perturbations on the ionospheric potential in the Earths global electric circuit (GEC). The conductivity perturbations appearing in the middle atmosphere produced by γ ray bursts from magnetars are studied first. The transient response of the ionospheric potential is modeled in this case, and timescales of interest are identified (0.01–10s). In this case modification of ionospheric potential is small. Additionally, the principal effects of topography and reduction of conductivity inside the thundercloud are studied. Both of these factors effectively increase the ionospheric potential for a classic source in the GEC represented by a current dipole leading to formation of two main charge centers of the thunderstorm. On the other hand, for GEC including topography and conductivity reduction in thunderclouds the contribution of sequence of negative cloud-to-ground lightning discharges to the ionospheric potential is decreased. Simulation results show a very good agreement with equivalent circuit models for conductivity perturbations with horizontal dimensions exceeding 20xa0km.

Analysis of the diurnal variation of the global electric circuit obtained from different numerical models

This work analyzes different current source and conductivity parameterizations and their influence on the diurnal variation of the global electric circuit (GEC). The diurnal variations of the current source parameterizations obtained using electric field and conductivity measurements from plane overflights combined with global TRMM satellite data give generally good agreement with measured diurnal variation of the electric field at Vostok, Antarctica, where reference experimental measurements are performed. An approach employing 85-GHz passive microwave observations to infer currents within the GEC is compared and shows the best agreement in amplitude and phase with experimental measurements. To study the conductivity influence, GEC models solving the continuity equation in 3-D are used to calculate atmospheric resistance using yearly averaged conductivity obtained from the global circulation model CESM. Then, using current source parameterization combining mean currents and global counts of electrified clouds, if the exponential conductivity is substituted by the conductivity from CESM, the peak to peak diurnal variation of the ionospheric potential of the GEC decreases from 24% to 20%. The main reason for the change is the presence of clouds while effects of 222Rn ionization, aerosols and topography are less pronounced. The simulated peak to peak diurnal variation of the electric field at Vostok is increased from 15% to 18% from the diurnal variation of the global current in the GEC if conductivity from CESM is used.

Initiation of Positive Streamer Corona in Low Thundercloud Fields

Formation of filamentary gas discharge forms, commonly referred to as streamers, is one of the conditions required for initiation and subsequent propagation of lightning leaders. It is quantitatively demonstrated that streamers can be initiated under thunderstorm conditions when two precipitation particles cause an enhancement of the electric field by passing in close vicinity of each other. Conditions for avalanche to streamer transition are documented using a model of two spherical hydrometeor particles placed in uniform ambient field. The results are presented in scaled form using similarity relations for gas discharges and can be applied for a wide range of thunderstorm conditions, including different air pressures, electric fields and particle dimensions.