Re: RF envelope waveshape: the answer to short SSTC sparklength?

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

Original poster: "Jim Lux by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <jimlux-at-earthlink-dot-net>


> The waveshape of the RF envelope is incredibly important to coil
> output voltage and current. Why?

Or, more importantly for us, incredibly important to spark growth.  The
actual value of voltage and current isn't probably important, but it's time
history is.  You need enough voltage to keep the spark growing (breakout at
first, then enough to keep the voltage at the leading end of the spark high
enough that it can breakdown the air, even after the voltage drop along the
spark channel), and you also need enough current available to charge up the
ever increasing capacitance of the spark channel.