Estimated electrical power delivery to a plasma channel formed in a water gap

The dynamic behaviour of the resistance and inductance of a circuit including a plasma channel formed in a water gap by a capacitive pulse power supply has been determined from the current and voltage transients measured during the breakdown of the gap. The resistance data, once corrected for the components associated with the conductors and instrumentation, has been used to calculate the temporal development of the power supplied to the plasma channel and the energy dissipated within the channel. This data will be useful to the development of practical applications of the pulsed breakdown of water gaps, for example the generation of high power ultrasound, and for the design of water switches employed in pulsed power systems.