Re: Streamer Noise ? ? ? What causes the noise???

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

Original poster: "Malcolm Watts" <m.j.watts-at-massey.ac.nz> 

Hi Dan,

On 30 Sep 2003, at 21:56, Tesla list wrote:

 > Original poster: dhmccauley-at-spacecatlighting-dot-com
 >
 > Sure, we know that electric arc noise is caused by the rapid increase in
 > temperature of surrounding air and the inherent shock waves created by this
 > expansion, but what is it about spark gap type
 > coils that makes the streamers so loud, whereas arcs from a VTTC or SSTC can
 > be completely silent?    (I'm not talking about the spark gap either.  Lets
 > assume the spark gap is completely sound
 > insulated)  Is is the transient - intermittent peak power nature of the
 > spark gap coils???  Does that mean a continous streamer would be comletely
 > silent???

I would say yes. A disruptive coil is repeatedly heating coolish air
to thousands of degrees with an attendant shockwave.

Malcolm