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

["Gomez ADDams" <gomez@netherworld.com> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla@uswest.net>)]

on that fateful day 7/28/00 7:54 PM, Tesla list uttered:

> Original poster: "John H. Couture" <couturejh@worldnet.att.net>
> 
> 
> To All -
> 
> What are the definitions and differences  between sparks, arcs, streamers,
> corona, etc. Is a 54 inch arc possible?
> 
> John Couture

In my conversations with other coilers, and in my readings of coilers'
postings, I have assumed the following definitions.  This is how I use these
terms...

sparks - generic term, often used to describe any electrical discharge,
        but is often used to refer to streamers

arcs - most often used to refer to "streamers" (see below), but I prefer
        to use this term to describe solid secondary discharges connecting
        to a grounded conductor.  To me, a discharge in an arc lamp of any
        kind is an arc.  I prefer to use the term "arc" for heavy,
        sustained, higher current discharges, or AC discharges, such as
        those in a Jacob's ladder; whereas I would use the term "spark"
        for light, intermittent, or lower-current discharges, or DC / RF
        discharges, such as those from a Tesla secondary or between the
        terminals of a small induction coil.

streamers - secondary discharges into free air which do not terminate to a
        grounded or conductive object.

corona - soft, dim, fuzzy blue (usually a very distinct blue, as opposed to
        bluish-white) glow discharge, often seen around the upper windings
        of secondaries insufficiently "shielded" by a toroid, or between
        the secondary and primary.  May rarely contain lighter colored,
        filamentary discharge phenomena - leaders?

- Gomez

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