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Re: TC Electrostatics (fwd)



[Nudge nudge back to the tesla coil direction... -- Chip]


> Date:          Sun, 12 Jan 1997 22:04:20 -0700 (MST)
> From:          Tesla List <tesla-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com>
> To:            rwstephens-at-headwaters-dot-com
> Cc:            lod-at-pacbell-dot-net
> Subject:       Re: TC Electrostatics (fwd)

> fwd rwstephens
> 
> Chip
> 
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
> Moderation in all things, including moderation
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
> 
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Sat, 11 Jan 1997 21:39:25 -0800
> From: lod-at-pacbell-dot-net
> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject: Re: TC Electrostatics (fwd)
> 
> rwstephens wrote:
> 
> > > Output Impedance - must be matched to the effective streamer impedance, in order
> > >                    to maximize the total power transfer to the air.
> > 
> > I'd never thought about that angle before in the context of plasma
> > channels in air or gasses until I recently started playing with a big
> > homemade plasma display which I quickly discovered looks electrically
> > like a big gas filled VR tube ala VR-60kV.
> > 
> > Good observation here Greg, you are talking (as usual) like an engineer!
> > Is there any way of employing the freespace impedance of 377 ohms per square
> > somewhere in this streamer impedance calculation?
> >
> > rwstephens


Hi Greg,
 
> Freespace impedance values assume that there are no nearby conductors, including 
> ionized air.  I believe that it also refers to the impedance of a radiated wave
> thru space, rather than a conducted one.

I believe you are correct.  This plasma cloud I now find myself in is still a new
world to me.

>  The 377 ohms per square number also has 
> some interesting trivia associated with it:
> 
> The omega of the power grid (2 * pi * 60hertz) equals 377.
> 
> Regarding the physics surrounding black holes, if you do the dimensional analysis 
> for the resistance from one side of the event horizon to the other, it's 377 ohms!
> 
> Interesting as much as it's irrelevant, huh?

That last one would be hard to prove with an ohm meter.  The problem 
would be calibrating the test lead contributions to the measurement, 
and I wouldn't bet money that their net contribution would be resistive 
in nature! 

> -GL

rwstephens