Discharge velocity effects across charged insulator surfaces

Surface discharge velocity measurements are reported. An aluminium strip fixed on the underside of a polyester film trapped corona charge on the surface and guided the discharge initiated by a 100 ns voltage pulse of between 10 to 30 kV. The surface charge was of opposite polarity to the voltage pulse. Results for the discharge velocity under various conditions are presented and indicate that both surface charge and the voltage pulse are responsible for driving the discharge across the length of the polyester.