Abstract
The characteristics of glow discharges in argon and other rare gases excited by an audio-frequency alternating potential and by a direct potential modulated with an audio-frequency signal are described. When the frequency of the alternating potential is of the same order of magnitude as the frequency of the spontaneous oscillations present in these gases excited with a direct potential, remarkable standing light patterns are observed. In all cases where the discharges are steady enough for detailed measurements striations are found that travel a fraction of the distance from the anode to the cathode in each cycle. At certain positions striations running from the cathode to the anode are also observed. Where the two types of striations meet they are nearly stopped for a time interval of the order of 10−4 second. There is electrical and optical evidence that a plasma exists for this time interval and that this plasma emits a continuous radiation. The behavior and occurrence of the discharges are correlated with a tentatively proposed mechanism.
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