Numerical simulations and conformal analysis of growing and branching negative discharge streamers

Author

Montijn, Carolynne ; Meulenbroek, Bernard ; Ebert, Ute ; Hundsdorfer, Willem

Author_Institution

Center for Math. & Comput. Sci., Amsterdam, Netherlands

Volume

33

Issue

2

fYear

2005

fDate

4/1/2005 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

260

Lastpage

261

Abstract

The dynamics of an anode-directed streamer can be described by advection-diffusion equations for the charged particles, including a local field-dependent impact ionization term, and coupled to the Poisson equation for the electric field. We present the results of new simulations that use a local uniform grid refinement strategy. Even on very fine grids, provided the electric field is high enough, the streamer appears to branch spontaneously. These results are supported by new analytical solutions based on a moving boundary approximation.

Keywords

Poisson equation; discharges (electric); plasma collision processes; plasma simulation; plasma transport processes; Poisson equation; advection-diffusion equations; anode-directed streamer; charged particles; conformal analysis; grid refinement; local field-dependent impact ionization; moving boundary approximation; negative discharge streamers; numerical simulations; Analytical models; Cathodes; Computer science; Electrons; Impact ionization; Mathematics; Numerical simulation; Plasma properties; Poisson equations; Space charge; Local grid refinement; minimal streamer model; moving boundary approximation; negative streamers;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0093-3813

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TPS.2005.845951

Filename

1420426