Spatially Resolved VUV Spectral Imaging of Pulsed Atmospheric Flashover

Abstract

The quantitative role of self-produced vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) light on photoionization-dominated gas discharges is currently an area of interest in the aerospace community. In this paper, we present the images of the VUV spectroscopic analysis of a pulsed atmospheric flashover, where the spatial content of emission relative to electrode geometry has been preserved. The observed spatial profile of emission is dependent on radiating species in the range of 120-125 nm and is discussed in relation to the physics of nanosecond discharges.