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Re: Lab sparks make x-rays



Original poster: "Antonio Carlos M. de Queiroz" <acmdq@xxxxxxxxxx>

Tesla list wrote:
Original poster: "Gerry Reynolds" <gerryreynolds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Hi Antonio,
I've been thinking about your original idea and Jim's response and I was wondering if it is still possible given the following scenerio:
The initial air is at, say, standard temp and pressure. An initial arc occurs that heats the channel. The temperature becomes hot and PV=-nRT suggests that P goes way up (n is same as before the arc). A shock wave propagates out to allow P to return to normal. Since the channel is still hot, n has been reduced. Before the channel cools, another arc occurs and reheats the channel but now with a smaller n. If enough subsequent arcs occur fast enough, can n get small enough to allow the MFP to extend enough to allow xrays. Of course Dmitry's comment about the channel being ionized at this point and reducing the field strength is a good one.
In lightning strikes something like this may really occur, as there are
multiple discharges in rapid sequence, and the discharges take significant
time. Even in the discharge of a Marx generator, or other capacitor
discharge sparks, something similar may occur, as the discharge may have
significant oscillations (remember the Hertz oscillator, or the classic
Leyden jar discharge, that are clearly oscillatory).

Antonio Carlos M. de Queiroz