Electrical Coronas

Electrical Coronas: Their Basic Physical Mechanisms explores the fascinating and often overlooked phenomenon of electrical corona discharges, which, despite their seemingly inconspicuous nature, play a crucial role in various industrial and scientific processes. Ranging from small, imperceptible glow discharges in air to larger glowing spheres such as St. Elmo's fire, coronas are vital to many applications, including high-tension power lines, air pollution control, and electrochemical processes. These discharges also contribute to important technologies like Geiger counters and are utilized in processes such as dry-process ore beneficiation and the discharging of statically electrified aircraft. The study of coronas offers valuable insights into electrical breakdown in gases, a key area of physics that has advanced significantly since the 1930s with improved experimental techniques.

The book provides an in-depth analysis of corona discharges, emphasizing their importance in understanding the processes of electrical breakdown in gases. By examining these discharges, which occur in highly asymmetrical electrical fields, researchers can isolate and study the mechanisms of breakdown that are often obscured in more complex discharge processes. This work is essential for both theoretical advancements in gaseous electronics and practical applications in engineering. Key discoveries, such as the Hermstein glow discharge and insights into the streamer mechanism of electrical sparks, are discussed in detail. The book also delves into the applications of corona discharges in devices like Geiger counters and the propagation of breakdown in coaxial cylindrical geometries, making it an invaluable resource for those studying electrical discharges and their practical implications.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1965.