Coulomb-driven flow of a dielectric liquid subject to charge injection by a sharp electrode

Injection of charge by a sharp electrode into a surrounding dielectric liqu id leads to Coulomb forces that set the liquid into motion. An analysis is presented of this motion in a small region around the edge of the electrode , which determines the injected current as a function of the far electric p otential seen by this region. By using an injection law appropriate for non polar liquids, the analysis predicts an electric current that increases fir st exponentially and then as the power 7/3 of the harmonic part of the elec tric potential, sometimes with a range of multiplicity in between. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S1070-6631(99)01207-6].