Generation of Runaway Electrons and X-rays in Repetitive Nanosecond Pulse Corona Discharge in Atmospheric Pressure Air

Abstract

A pulsed corona discharge in an inhomogeneous electric field was studied in atmospheric air. A runaway electron beam from the corona discharge was detected with a collector at nanosecond-pulse duration. It is shown that with a nanosecond-pulse voltage of 300 kV, the full width at half maximum of the beam current during the pulsed corona discharge is about 100 ps. It is demonstrated that with a pulse voltage of 90 kV, a full width at half maximum of 40 ns, and pulse repetition frequencies of up to 1 kHz, the corona discharge is an X-ray source.