THE DYNAMICS OF LARGE-SCALE SPATIAL STRUCTURES IN CURRENT-CARRYING FLUIDS AND THE ELECTRIC EXPLOSION OF CONDUCTORS

Experiments investigating an electric explosion of conductors and shoc k waves generated by that in air are discussed. A model of a non-equil ibrium phase transition, resulting in electric current interruption (t he formation of a heterogeneous low-conducting state), is suggested. T his phase transition is shown to be brought about by hydrodynamic and current vortex structures arisen because of a convective instability o f current-carrying fluids. The steady-state solutions of the model pro posed are found and their stability is explored. The dynamics of the l arge-scale spatial (hydrodynamic and current) structures in a nonlinea r element from the electric circuit is considered. Here, the model sug gested and the Lorenz model are viewed as models of the nonlinear elem ent. The proposed model parameters are identified by the experimental results of an electric explosion of conductors.