Mechanisms of self-organization of a microwave streamer leading to maximum energy absorption

Abstract

An attempt is made to reveal the general principle of the formation of a thin microwave plasma channel (filament) in free space. The channel is the main element of dipole-type plasma structures developing at high pressure in a beam (or beams) of electromagnetic waves away from surfaces. The mechanisms of self-organization of the thin plasma filament at various stages of its evolution are revealed. The triggering of these mechanisms leads to the fact that the total absorbed energy (Joule’s losses) at each moment of time is close to its upper estimate. The reaction of the electric field-plasma channel system to the change in the rate constants of the main processes of production and loss of electrons in air at the most energy-intensive stage has been studied. The maximum energy absorption is provided by rate constants that are in good agreement with currently used constants.