RE: Long, Continuous, Steady Streamer Phenomena

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Malcolm Watts by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <m.j.watts-at-massey.ac.nz>

HI Gary,
          That wave form is interesting to me for several reasons:

On 23 May 2003, at 19:10, Tesla list wrote:

 > Original poster: "Lau, Gary by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" 
<Gary.Lau-at-hp-dot-com>
 >
 > It didn't make any sense to me either that a streamer-mode could affect a
 > primary-side process.  It's just that the sound of the steady streamers is
 > distinctly different, and a unique BPS is the only theory that came to mind.
 >
 > A computer model may repeat after many cycles (I haven't looked for this),
 > but the models that have been used assume a precisely consistent gap
 > breakdown voltage.  In scoping a real static gap, I've found that the
 > breakdown voltage varies _radically_ from bang to bang.  See
 > http://www.laushaus-dot-com/tesla/measured_waveforms.htm.  I'm sure that the
 > time interval between bangs plays a role, as this will affect the amount of
 > ions remaining, and hence, the breakdown voltage.  Add to this the
 > possibility of non-linear shunt operation delivering varying charging
 > currents depending upon stored energy in the NST secondary, and you have
 > chaotic behavior to the third power.  I think it would be easier to find a
 > secret message in the digits of pi than to find repetition from a static 
gap.
 >
 > Regards, Gary Lau
 > MA, USA

It appears the gap is firing several times in the +ve half of the
graph, then several times in the -ve half suggesting a low frequency
beat component in the charging system (LC vs mains perhaps). The
firing in the +ve half appears to be occurring at a fairly consistent
voltage and also consitently higher than the -ve half firings
suggesting some kind of asymmetry in the gap (some dross on one
electrode perhaps). It would be instructive to see a trace capture of
the mains coincident with these waveforms to see the shift in phase.

Malcolm