Re: Getting to the limit with an NST powered SGTC

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: BunnyKiller <bunikllr@xxxxxxx>

the color is the difference in amperage "confinement" in the streamer. the 
purple ones are indicators of low current streams in the air which are 
ionizing nitrogen. As the current becomes more channeled( as in a streamer 
to ground) the additional current begins to ionize oxygen and also starts 
ionizing nitrogen to even higer levels, thus resulting in color shifts from 
the additional levels the electrons have to fall back into place  ( when 
electrons are boosted to higher level orbits, they eventually lose "power" 
and the electron falls back to its original orbit releasing a photon in the 
process, the drop from higher to lower level orbits create specific 
wavelengths of light for example: nitrogen with a 1 level drop produces 
wavelengths in the 400 or so nM range purple)...

Tesla list wrote:

> Original poster: <dgoodfellow@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2005 7:37 PM
> Subject: Re: Getting to the limit with an NST powered SGTC
>
>
>
> > Are they blue/white or purple?  Blue/white is good, purple is not so good.
>
>
>
> I'm very curious now, what is a purple streamer telling us? I only see a 
> bright blue or whitish color if the arc is hitting ground, otherwise my 
> free air sparks are kind of a royal blue, bordering on purple. At least 
> that's the way they photograph!
>
> Dave Goodfellow