Re: TC Sparks and Arcs (Was - High Voltage Snubber caps

["Jim Lux" <jimlux-at-jpl.nasa.gov> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)]

Simple.. in order to start a spark, the magnitude of the electric field
somewhere in between the two electrodes (between which the spark will form)
has to be bigger than the breakdown field at that same point.  In general,
the E field magnitude will be a function of the voltage between the
electrodes and the distance to ground.  The other big effect (probably
dominant in tesla coils) is the radius of curvature of the electrode, when
the radius is much smaller than the distance to ground.

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> From: Tesla list <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject: Re: TC Sparks and Arcs (Was - High Voltage Snubber caps
> Date: Sunday, August 06, 2000 5:41 PM
> 
> Original poster: Dsurfr-at-aol-dot-com 
> 
> In a message dated 8/6/00 5:46:57 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
tesla-at-pupman-dot-com 
> writes:
> 
> << 
>  The voltage necessary to initiate a spark is determined by the distance
from
>  the terminal to the ground. >>
> 
> Would you elaborate a bit on this please. Thanks, Jim
> 
> 
>