An Investigation Into the Initiation Mechanisms of Water Trees in Polyethylene from Attempts to Detect an Emission of Light

A very sensitive device has been used to try to detect the emission of light during the initial phase of the growth of water trees. No emission was detected, either before the onset of growth of the trees or during the propagation, contrary to what is observed in electrical treeing. This experiment eliminates light emission as a tool to examine initiation and propagation mechanisms in water treeing. It is suggested that there is no basic difference in the very nature of the mechanisms which govern the initiation and propagation phases of the growth of water trees, contrary to what is accepted for electrical treeing.