Physical Science, Measurement and Instrumentation, Management and Education, IEE Proceedings A

It has been shown that attractive forces exist in an electric discharge that are caused by the discharge itself. The increased attraction between the electrodes of the discharge is ascribed to the charges on the electrodes, and charges of opposite polarity electrons and ions which continuously approach the electrodes. An application of this effect is that of maintaining the discharge. This can overcome the risk of rupture of discharges that occurs in many cases. In a maintained discharge, the springy electrode is so arranged that it will keep it in constant position by the attractive forces originating in the discharge.