Re: Streamer Behavior

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Malcolm Watts by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <m.j.watts-at-massey.ac.nz>

Hello Marc,

On 20 Dec 2001, at 20:17, Tesla list wrote:

> Original poster: "Metlicka Marc by way of Terry Fritz
<twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <mystuffs-at-orwell-dot-net>
> 
> 
> 
> Tesla list wrote:
> > 
> > Original poster: "Malcolm Watts by way of Terry Fritz
> <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <m.j.watts-at-massey.ac.nz>
> > 
> > 
> > After some experiments a while ago I came to the conclusion that
> > buried in a strong power dependence there is a weak sparklength
> > dependence on output voltage and (separately) charge availability at
> > the terminal. 
> 
> STRONG POWER DEPENDENCE IS THE DECIDING FACTOR OF THE SIZE OF THE "ION
> CLOUD" OR THE CHARGE AT DISTANCE FROM SOURCE. this is easily recognized
> as, the higher the energy density at distance "X", the easier the
> discharge streamer to form and progress to length.

Please desist from shouting. With reference to that first statement, 
I have to ask "is it?". I have observed a ball of faint streamers 
spreading in all directions from a spherical topload on top of a coil 
operated in single shot mode just below the point we would normally 
consider breakout. I am not alone in observing this. The "ball" was 
nearly three feet in diameter. Ep was somewhere around 2J. It made no 
difference whether the coil was run at 1BPS or 0.1 BPS. No power 
dependence there. It was observed on every shot. BTW - it was only 
observed in an incredibly dark room and I have not seen it on other 
coils. To say it was a magical sight is an understatement.
 
> >     I remember a story from Richard Hull once on testing a coil. The
> > nub of it was that at some power (about 6kW I think), he was seeing 2
> > -3' streamers. With power increased by a single kW to about 7,
> > "suddenly the 8-footers were there".
> 
>  Maybe 1kw just enough to supplement charge those first three feet in
> the surrounding "ION CLOUD" or charged area? This "MUST" depend on
> topload shape! The charge density shape and direction, of different
> topload shapes cannot be dismissed.

Agreed after a fashion. I haven't yet observed the fore-mentioned 
phenomenon when using a toroidal topload. 
     I must also observe with reference to Richard's story that the 
best coils I've built connect to objects a very noticeable distance 
beyond visible air streamer length and I suspect this is what Richard 
was seeing.

Regards,
Malcolm