Lateral instability in streamers discharges

TL;DR

This paper investigates the lateral instability of streamer discharges using a continuum model, revealing similarities to fluid Kelvin-Helmholtz instability and explaining experimental growth patterns.

Contribution

It introduces a continuum discharge model analysis of streamer lateral instability, including numerical simulations and asymptotic analysis, linking to observed experimental phenomena.

Findings

Long wavelength perturbations grow in strong electric fields.

Small wavelength perturbations diminish over time.

Results explain experimentally observed growth patterns.

Abstract

In this paper we study the lateral instability of streamer discharges using a continuum discharge model. We observe similarities to Kelvin-Helmholz instability in fluids. In strong electric fields, lateral long wave length perturbations can grow while small wave length perturbations diminish during the discharge evolution. We perform numerical simulations and carry out asymptotic analysis of the instability. Our results could explain the growth observed in experimental discharges.