Spontaneous pattern formation in an effectively one-dimensional dielectric-barrier discharge system
In a dielectric-barrier discharge between diametrically opposite sides of a narrow tube, discharge filaments stabilize at regular intervals along the tube's length. Three types of periodic patterns are observed, as is a disordered state in which filaments fire at apparently random positions and times. Time-resolved current measurements indicate that for each spatial pattern, a particular number of discharge stages occur during the voltage half-cycle. A preliminary model of the pattern-formation dynamics is described, motivating further work on time-resolved imaging and investigations of surface charge distributions.
Guikema
J
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546, USA.
Miller
N
Niehof
J
Klein
M
Walhout
M