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Re: Lab sparks make x-rays

Original poster: "Gerry  Reynolds" <gerryreynolds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Hi Antonio,

I've been thinking about your original idea and Jim's response and I was wondering if it is still possible given the following scenerio:

The initial air is at, say, standard temp and pressure. An initial arc occurs that heats the channel. The temperature becomes hot and PV=-nRT suggests that P goes way up (n is same as before the arc). A shock wave propagates out to allow P to return to normal. Since the channel is still hot, n has been reduced. Before the channel cools, another arc occurs and reheats the channel but now with a smaller n. If enough subsequent arcs occur fast enough, can n get small enough to allow the MFP to extend enough to allow xrays. Of course Dmitry's comment about the channel being ionized at this point and reducing the field strength is a good one.

Gerry R.



Original poster: "Antonio Carlos M. de Queiroz" <acmdq@xxxxxxxxxx>

I think that the timimg problem already mentioned is a more serious
objection against this idea (when the air expands away violently the
maximum current already passed).