Modeling of the laboratory streamer discharge

We calculate the propagation of a branching negative streamer in air under conditions of the experiment of Kochkin et al [2014, doi:10.1088/0022-3727/47/14/145203]. We compare the results with the peculiar phenomena which were observed in this experiment, such as the reverse streamers which propagate towards the initiating electrode and the quasi-periodic pulsation of the electrode current. The computer model makes it possible to understand deeper the processes which could lead to these features. We analyse how the calculated electric field may lead to acceleration of electrons and estimate the possible x-ray output of such a branching streamer structure.