Modeling of Laser -Induced Electrical Discharge in Air

Summary form only given. The formation and propagation of laser induced streamers in air is studied via two-dimensional (2-D) numerical simulations. The model under development is based on a set of time-dependent hydrodynamics transport equations for electrons and ions, coupled to the Poisson´s equation for the space charge electric field and the rates of various plasmo-chemical reactions. The model describes the physical processes involved in the triggering of electrical discharges by ultrashort high power lasers. A plasma filament formed by the laser between two charged plates acts as a conducting channel through which a guided electrical discharge can occur. In this work we numerically determine the applied electric field required to support the discharge for laser-guided and unguided configurations