Streamer propagation in uniform and nonuniform electric field: a new computational approach
Abstract
Previously, we developed a new approach to unambiguous determination of parameters of positive and negative electric streamer discharges [Lehtinen, 2019, submitted to PRL; https://www.essoar.org/doi/abs/10.1002/essoar.10500309.1]. This approach is based on treating a streamer as a nonlinear instability which develops due to air breakdown in a constant uniform background electric field, and draws an analogy with the flat-front instability theory [Derks et al, 2008, doi:10.1007/s00332-008-9023-0]. An advantage of this approach, beside revealing the physical principles that determine the streamer parameters such as its speed and radius, is that it allows to calculate these parameters much faster than the more complicated numerical approaches involving hydrodinamic and/or PIC calculations, even though the computation error may be larger due to approximations made.
In this work, we demonstrate that the results of this new computational approach are fairly close to the hydrodynamic calculation results. We discuss corrections that may be made to the new computational approach. We also discuss the generalization of the capabilities of the new approach to nonuniform electric fields, which occur more often in lab conditions or in the natural conditions of lightning propagation. We estimate x-ray production in selected streamer configurations using methods of Lehtinen and Ostgaard [2018, doi:10.1029/2018JD028646].- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019AGUFMAE43A..03L
- Keywords:
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- 3304 Atmospheric electricity;
- ATMOSPHERIC PROCESSES;
- 3324 Lightning;
- ATMOSPHERIC PROCESSES;
- 3394 Instruments and techniques;
- ATMOSPHERIC PROCESSES