The isolated head model of the plasma bullet/streamer propagation: Electric field-velocity relation

Abstract

A model of the isolated streamer head based on Meek's criterion of the avalanche to streamer transition is applied for description of the plasma bullet propagation in a helium/air admixture. According to the model previously proposed by Kulikovsky for streamers in air, along with the knowledge of one of three parameters: electric field, ionization integral or the width of the space charge layer, the other two parameters could be determined. Furthermore, using the streamer current or radius, it is possible to determine the electric field-streamer velocity functional dependence. Obtained results showed satisfactory agreement with both the results of the fluid model from the literature and the experimental results of plasma jet studies. Finally, for the sake of comparison, streamer velocity dependence on the electric field strength range of 10-250kVcm-1 is determined for helium, argon and air. © 2014 IOP Publishing Ltd.