Atmospheric gamma-ray and neutron flashes

Gamma-ray pulses are calculated from 2D numerical simulations of an upward atmospheric discharge in a self-consistent electric field using the multigroup approach to the kinetics of relativistic runaway electrons (REs). Computed γ-ray numbers and spectra are consistent with those of terrestrial γ-ray flashes (TGFs) observed aboard spacecrafts. The RE flux is concentrated mainly within the domain of the Blue Jet fluorescence. This confirms that exactly the domain adjacent to a thundercloud is the source of the observed γ-ray flashes. The yield of photonuclear neutrons is calculated. One γ-ray pulse generates ∼10¹⁴–10¹⁵ neutrons. The possibility of the direct deposition of REs to the detector readings and the origin of the lightning-advanced TGFs are discussed. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Energy distribution of runaway and fast electrons upon nanosecond volume discharge in atmospheric-pressure air

Nanosecond space discharge in a gas-filled diode is promising for pumping of lasers and high-power lamps. The space charge formed in the absence of an additional preionization source has a few advantages. The energy distributions of the beam electrons and the X-ray spectrum are determined. It is demonstrated that several high-energy electron bunches are formed in such a discharge. The main contribution to the beam current measured behind the foil is related to the runaway electrons, which have energies of tens or hundreds of kiloelectronvolts (supershort avalanche electron beam (SAEB)). Fast electrons with energies of several or tens of kiloelectronvolts are responsible for the generation of the soft X rays in the discharge gap. Anomalous electrons whose energy is higher than the voltage across the gap provide for a minor (less than 5%) contribution to the beam current. The generation time of these electrons is equal to the SAEB generation time accurate to 0.1 ns. It is demonstrated that the anomalous electrons can be generated owing to the acceleration in the presence of the field in front of the moving background-electron multiplication wave. The spectra of the X-ray radiation generated by the fast electrons in the volume are calculated.     

直流电源耦合高功率脉冲非平衡磁控溅射电离特性

采用直流电源放电形成高功率脉冲非平衡磁控溅射(dc-high power impulse unbalanced magnetron sputtering,dc-HPPUMS 或dc-HiPiUMS),利用雪崩放电的击穿机理形成深度自触发放电,同轴线圈和空心阴极控制放电特性和提高功率密度.磁阱俘获雪崩放电形成的二次电子和形成漂移电流,形成了大电流脉冲放电,放电脉冲电流密度峰值超过100 A/cm²,脉冲频率小于40 Hz.由于放电等离子体远没有达到平衡状态,放电电流主要受到空间电荷效应 关键词： 放电 脉冲技术     

Amplification and nonlinear modification of runaway breakdown

The astonishing natural phenomenon of narrow bipolar pulses (NBP) is an isolated discharges in thunderstorms at tropopause heights (10–20 km) that generates enormously powerful radio emission but lasts only a few microseconds. The theory of this phenomenon based on runaway breakdown is elaborated. At such high heights extensive atmospheric shower (EAS) become well developed only if the energetic cosmic ray particle momentum is directed close to the horizon. For these conditions the runaway breakdown–extensive atmospheric shower (RB–EAS) discharge amplified strongly what lead to the effective diminishing of thundercloud electric field and results in nonlinear saturation of the discharge current. A reasonable agreement of the theory with NBP observations is demonstrated.     

Mechanisms of femtosecond laser-induced breakdown and damage in MgO

Single-shot laser damage threshold of MgO for 40-986 fs, 800 nm laser pulses is reported. The pump-probe measurements with femtosecond pulses were carried out to investigate the time-resolved electronic excitation processes. A theoretical model including conduction band electrons (CBE) production and laser energy deposition was applied to discuss the roles of multiphoton ionization (MPI) and avalanche ionization in femtosecond laser-induced dielectric breakdown. The results indicate that avalanche ionization plays the dominant role in the femtosecond laser-induced breakdown in MgO near the damage threshold.     

Midinfrared optical breakdown in transparent dielectrics

Optical breakdown measurements for transparent dielectrics are reported for 1 ps laser pulses as a function of mid-IR wavelength from 4.7 to 7.8 microm. For wide-gap dielectrics seed electrons are generated by tunnel ionization with subsequent avalanche ionization and laser absorption by dense plasma. For narrow-gap dielectrics tunnel ionization alone leads to dense plasma formation.     

Terrestrial gamma-ray flashes and neutron pulses from direct simulations of gigantic upward atmospheric discharge

Gamma-ray pulses are calculated from 2D numerical simulations of upward atmospheric discharge in a self-consistent electric field using the multigroup approach to the kinetics of relativistic runaway electrons. Thecalculated numbers and spectra of γ-rays are consistent with the data on terrestrial γ-ray flashes observed aboard spacecraft. The calculated runaway electron flux is concentrated mainly within the domain of the blue jet fluorescence. This proves that exactly this domain is a source of the γ-ray flashes. One γ-ray flash generates ∼10¹⁴-10¹⁵ photonuclear neutrons. The text was submitted by the authors in English     

Parametric study of the characteristics of Trichel pulses in the needle-plane negative corona discharge in atmospheric air

A numerical study of the impact of different model coefficients on the frequency, DC current, and the rise time of the Trichel pulses in a needle-plane negative corona discharge is presented here. The studied coefficients include the coefficients of the ionization and attachment reactions, the mobilities of the three charged species considered in the model (electrons and positive and negative ions), and the coefficient of the secondary emission of electrons. The characteristics of the pulses were also studied using another set of model coefficients which includes an extended number of reactions such as detachment of the electrons from negative ions.     

Modification of surface layers of copper under the action of the volumetric discharge initiated by an avalanche electron beam in nitrogen and CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> at atmospheric pressure

The results of experimental investigations of the action of the volumetric discharge initiated by an avalanche electron beam on the surface of copper specimens are presented. The volumetric (diffuse) discharge in nitrogen and CO₂ at atmospheric pressure was initiated by applying high voltage pulses of nanosecond duration to a tubular foil cathode. It has been found that the treatment of a copper surface by this type of discharge increases the hardness of the surface layer due to oxidation.     

Messung der Elektronendriftgeschwindigkeit in N2 imE/p-Bereich von 0,05 bis 40 Volt/cm Torr (Funkenkammerverfahren)

A special spark chamber technique was used to measure drift velocities of electrons for N₂ over anE/p-range from 0.05 to 40 volts/cm·Torr. The inaccuracy is smaller than 5% in the mediumE/p-range and increases to 10% at the ends of the region. This method uses a single α-particle traversing a parallel plate gap. The α-particle triggers by a photomultiplier a high voltage pulse which initiates an avalanche discharge. By varying the delay time after which the high voltage pulse is triggered one deduces from the height of the avalanche discharge the time necessary for the electrons to cross the gap and thus the drift velocity.     

X-ray radiation from the volume discharge in atmospheric-pressure air

X-ray radiation from the volume discharge in atmospheric-pressure air is studied under the conditions when the voltage pulse rise time varies from 0.5 to 100 ns and the open-circuit voltage amplitude of the generator varies from 20 to 750 kV. It is shown that a volume discharge from a needle-like cathode forms at a relatively wide voltage pulse (to ≈60 ns in this work). The volume character of the discharge is due to preionization by fast electrons, which arise when the electric field concentrates at the cathode and in the discharge gap. As the voltage pulse rise time grows, X-ray radiation comes largely from the discharge gap in accordance with previous experiments. Propagation of fast avalanche electrons in nitrogen subjected to a nonuniform unsteady electric field is simulated. It is demonstrated that the amount of hard X-ray photons grows not only with increasing voltage amplitude but also with shortening pulse rise time.     

飞秒激光烧蚀石英玻璃的实验与理论研究

实验研究了800nm飞秒激光作用下石英玻璃的破坏机理和烧蚀规律，给出了破坏阈值与脉冲宽度的关系.发展了雪崩击穿模型，计算了材料的烧蚀阈值与脉冲宽度的依赖关系，烧蚀深度、烧蚀体积与脉冲能量的依赖关系，研究了导带电子的扩散对材料中激光能量的沉积、分布，以及材料的破坏阈值和烧蚀规律的影响. 关键词： 飞秒激光脉冲 破坏机理 石英玻璃 电子扩散     

Picosecond laser-induced damage morphology: Spatially resolved microscopic plasma sites

The morphology just above threshold of damage sites caused by picosecond 1.06 μm laser pulses is shown to consist of a collection of micron-sized, spatially distinct vestiges of individual plasmas. From the observed site density, the density of electrons which may initiate breakdown can be inferred. The morphology is consistent with an avalanche ionization model, but not with absorbing inclusion damage.     

空泡机制产生betatron X射线辐射的数值模拟

针对SILEX钛宝石激光器参数,采用PIC数值模拟程序VORPAL对激光尾波场加速进行了模拟,得到了电子轨迹及能量数据,进而通过理论计算得到了空泡机制下X射线辐射特性。结果表明,空泡机制下高能电子在空泡中做betatron振荡且多数电子被加速到170 MeV左右;加速能量较低的电子（约100 MeV）, 其辐射谱为临界能量约3 keV的类同步辐射谱,发散角约为8 mrad,而能量较高的电子（约170 MeV）对应的光子临界能量约为10 keV。     

Generation of dual pulses of the runaway electron beam current during the subnanosecond breakdown of atomic and molecular gases

With a diaphragm placed behind the anode foil, dual runaway electron beams have been provided in helium, hydrogen, nitrogen, and air under a pressure of several torrs to several dozen torrs and a high-voltage pulse amplitude of about 250 kV. These beams consist of two pulses with commensurable amplitudes with a time interval between them of several dozen picoseconds to several hundred picoseconds. It has been shown that the breakdown of the interelectrode gap at pressures from several torrs to several dozen torrs may occur in different regimes and dual pulses of the electron beam current are registered when the initial current through the gap is below 1 kA. It has been found that a supershort avalanche electron beam that consists of one pulse is generated when the delay of breakdown equals several hundred picoseconds. It has been shown that, when the gas pressure reaches several hundred Torr, including atmospheric pressure, the runaway electrons are detected behind the foil after the termination of the supershort avalanche electron beam pulse.     

Nanosecond discharge in sulfur hexafluoride and the generation of an ultrashort avalanche electron beam

A discharge in the presence of a nonuniform electric field and the generation of an ultrashort avalanche electron beam (UAEB) are studied in the insulating gas SF₆ at the pressures 0.01–2.50 atm. High-voltage nanosecond pulses (about 150 and 250 kV) and the voltage pulses with an amplitude of 25 kV and a duration of tens of nanoseconds are applied across the gap. An electron beam is obtained behind the AlBe foil with a thickness of 45 μm at a sulfur hexafluoride pressure in a gas-filled diode of up to 2 atm. It is demonstrated that, at relatively high pressures (greater than 1 atm) and in the presence of high-voltage nanosecond pulses across the gap, the UAEB pulse FWHM increases. The spectra of the diffuse and contracted discharges in sulfur hexafluoride are measured.     

Fluorescence excited in a thunderstorm atmosphere by relativistic runaway electron avalanches

The spectrum and spatiotemporal evolution of the fluorescence of an atmospheric discharge developing in the regime of relativistic runaway electron avalanche (RREA) generation have been calculated without involving the relativistic feedback. The discharges generating narrow bipolar pulses, along with the discharges responsible for terrestrial gamma-ray flashes, are shown to be relatively dark. Nevertheless, the fluorescence excited by a discharge involving RREAs can be recorded with cameras used to record high-altitude optical phenomena. A possible connection between a certain class of optical phenomena observed at the tops of thunderclouds and RREA emission is pointed out.     

Femtosecond laser-induced damage in reflector

We have investigated the damage for ZrO₂/SiO₂ 800 nm 45° high-reflection mirror with femtosecond pulses. The damage morphologies and the evolution of ablation crater depths with laser fluences are dramatically different from that with pulse longer than a few tens of picoseconds. The ablation in multilayers occurs layer by layer, and not continuously as in the case of bulk single crystalline or amorphous materials. The weak point in damage is the interface between two layers. We also report its single-short damage thresholds for pulse durations ranging from 50 to 900 fs, which departs from the diffusion-dominated scaling. A developed avalanche model, including the production of conduction band electrons (CBE) and laser energy deposition, is applied to study the damage mechanisms. The theoretical results agree well with our measurements.     

多针对板负电晕放电电离区形貌确定

在前期对常压下多针对板负电晕放电伏安特性研究的基础上,利用光学发射光谱(OES)法检测放电产生的N₂发射光谱,研究其电离区形貌。根据N₂发射光谱中峰值最大的第二正态激发谱峰强度I_SPB在高压针电极周围的空间分布,较精确地确定了电离区形貌;在电离区内体积分I_SPB,获知I_SPB与放电电流I之间的关系。实验结果表明,电离区大小随着外加电压U升高而增大;电子雪崩始于距离针尖半径约1 mm处的球面上,并且只在mm量级范围内发展,即电离区的大小为mm量级;电子雪崩沿针尖轴向比沿径向发展范围大,电离区形貌为“子弹”状;I_SPB的积分值与I成二次相系数很小的二阶线性关系,故放电中受激物质主要是N₂;高能电子主要存在于电离区,迁移区中形成电流的带电粒子为离子。     

Electron flux spatial distribution in an ultrashort avalanche electron beam generated at atmospheric air pressure

The results of experimental study on generation of ultrashort avalanche electron beams (UAEB) in gas-filled diodes are considered. The spatial distribution of the flux of runaway electrons and X-rays generated in the gas diode fed by nanosecond high-voltage pulses was studied. It was shown that the UAEB in the gas-filled diode (at an air pressure of 1 atm) with sharply nonuniform electric field is generated from the interelectrode region into a solid angle exceeding 2π sr. Narrowing of the cathode-anode gap results in a decrease in the current amplitude of the beam generated to side walls of the gas diode and an increase in the beam current pulse duration in both axial and radial directions. Current pulses of the beam initiated from the side surface of the tubular cathode were detected.