Electron emission mechanism during the nanosecond high-voltage pulsed discharge in pressurized air

A comparison between the results of x-ray absorption spectroscopy of runaway electrons (RAEs) generated during nanosecond timescale high-voltage (HV) gas discharge and the simulated attenuation of the x-ray flux produced by the runaway electron spectrum calculated using particle-in-cell numerical modeling of such a type of discharge is presented. The particle-in-cell simulation considered the field and explosive emissions (EEs) of the electrons from the cathode. It is shown that the field emission is the dominant emission mechanism for the short-duration (<2.5 ns) high-voltage pulses, while for the long-duration (>5 ns) high-voltage pulses, the explosive emission is likely to play a significant role.