SELF-SUSTAINED CONDITIONS IN INHOMOGENEOUS FIELDS

A theoretical model allowing to plot the breakdown voltage V-B as a fu nction of the product pd (pressure x interelectrode distance) is prese nted for a D.C. corona discharge. For a parabolic point, it is shown t hat the Paschen curve can be generalized to inhomogeneous fields, sinc e the homogeneous fields are the asymptotic limit of this theory. The analytical expression obtained from this model is finally plotted and compared to experimental results in nitrogen and dry air.