FORMATION OF THE STRUCTURE IN THE CATHODE REGION OF NON-SELF-SUSTAINED DISCHARGE IN NITROGEN

The formation of structure in the cathode region of non-self-sustained discharge in nitrogen was experimentally studied by means of an image -converter intensifier framing camera, Michelson and Mach-Zender inter ferometers and a laser schlieren method. The appearance and evolution of the mushroom-like glow structures, which have not been observed ear lier in numerical discharge models, were seen. A phenomenological appr oach was used in modelling the observed structures and the main proces ses responsible for these formations were revealed on the basis of the density distribution restored from the interferograms.