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Streamers



Original poster: "davep by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <davep-at-quik-dot-com>

Tesla list wrote:
 
> Jim, Dave, and all,
 
> There's some evidence that the next leader follows the same channel as
> the previous from bang to bang

	This is well documented in 'natural' lighting.  I can't think
	Tesla Coils streamers, with shorter lengths and arguably
	faster 'refresh' would different.

> due to residual hot air left in the previous leader's channel. While
> the channel air temperature is much too low, and duration too long,
> to convincingly explain consecutive breakdown on the next bang from
> residual ions,

	My understanding of the lighting, and other, data differs.
	Ions can have surprisingly long lifetimes.

> residual channel heat may simply make the air in the former channel less
> dense. Since less dense air has a lower breakdown voltage than the
> surrounding colder air,

	Be it ions or 'temperature':

> the next leader finds this path the "weakest link", and the next leader
> preferentially follows the "warm" path blazed by the previous leader.

	Concur...

	Or one near by (eg the invisible ion (or heat) trail gets drifted
	about by normal air movement, and...

	best
	dwp