The fusing of wires with heavy surge currents

The behaviour of wires fused by means of a high-frequency discharge yielding peak-current densities of 100-200 kA/mm 2 is investigated. From records of electrical transients it is estimated that complete melting does not occur prior to break-up. The nature of the arc discharge following break-up is shown to depend on the length and the material of the wires when exploded in air, but independent of these when exploded in vacuum. As a consequence of these experiments, results obtained by earlier investigators are examined critically.