Relaxing phenomena in negative corona discharge: New aspects

Two theories, explaining the time dependence of the negative corona dischar ge current in air, are confronted with new experimental results. The influe nce of the ozone concentration on the discharge current was experimentally confirmed in dry air and in mixtures of nitrogen with oxygen. Assuming that only the dissociative electron attachment to ozone molecule is a process b eing responsible for a reduction of the electron component in the total mea n discharge current, the mean value of the electron attachment rate constan t k = (3 - 5.5) x 10(-9) cm(-3) s(-1) was derived from the measured depende nce of the discharge current on the ozone concentration. The calculated val ue of the rate constant k corresponds to the dissociative attachment of ele ctron to ozone molecule via process e + O-3 --> products (O- or O-2(-) nega tive ions).