Re: Streamers

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

Original poster: "davep by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <davep-at-quik-dot-com>

Tesla list wrote:
> 
> Original poster: "rheidlebaugh by way of Terry Fritz
<twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <rheidlebaugh-at-zialink-dot-com>
> 
> Bert: I like your posting and I intent to save it, but...I have measured ion
> life in liquids over 11 seconds and in air over several minutes. While the
> center ion track time is limited to the browian movement time the surounding
> wide track remains for a long time like a static cloud.
>   Robert  H
> 
> > From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> > Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2002 22:26:39 -0700
> > To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> > Subject: Re: Streamers
> > Resent-From: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> > Resent-Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2002 22:36:49 -0700
> >
> > Original poster: "Bert Hickman by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
> > <bert.hickman-at-aquila-dot-net>
> >
> > Dave and all,
> >
> > I still suspect the main reason why leaders follow the previous channel
> > from bang to bang is lower air density and not the presence of residual
> > ions. The reason? Although longer lived positive and negative ions can
> > indeed persist from one bang to the next, their presence does not
> > directly contribute to the spark breakdown process on the next bang.
> >
> > Avalanche breakdown initially requires free electrons, accelerated by an
> > E-field, colliding with air molecules, to create an increasing cascading
> > shower of free electrons. For the avalanche to proceed, the rate of free
> > electron creation must exceed the rate of electron loss through
> > attachment (to oxygen or water vapor molecules to form negative ions).
> > Electron attachment occurs very quickly in air. Any free electrons
> > created during the previous bang are long gone by the time of the next
> > bang, having been captured by electronegative gases in the air since the
> > average "free" electron life in air at STP is only about 11 nSec.

	Lacking a site, other than the one to Cobine, previously supplied,
	(which would take some work to reduce to 'real time',) i can
	only say:

		I think, for whatever reason, 'tis longer than that...

	Not real rigorous...

	(ferinstance:
		The 'inside' of a lighting bolt (or streamer) is
		unlikely to be AT STP.
	)

	best
	dwp