The polarity factor in the kindling of electric impulse sparkover based upon lichtenberg figures

THE results of a photographic study of successive steps in the kindling process of impulse-flashover in unsymmetrical dielectric fields are presented in this paper. In order to keep the experimental conditions as simple as possible, the investigation was limited to the initial or kindling stage of impulse-sparkover and the energy content of the impressed potential impulse was kept very small to minimize, as much as possible, the thermionic effects.