Simulation of resistive plate chamber in streamer mode operation

Abstract

Simulation of a streamer initiation inside the gas gap of a trigger Resistive Plate Chamber (RPC) has numerically been performed using a minimal streamer model including transport equations and Poisson equation for electrons, negative and positive ions. The simulation can well predict spatial and temporal development of a signal inside the gap in three different modes; avalanche, saturated avalanche and streamer. The space charge field is shown to be very important for the initiation of a streamer signal. The simulation can also predict existence of a precursor avalanche signal before appearance of a strong streamer signal in agreement with experimental results.