Simulation of secondary processes in breakdown in air

The simulation of the buildup of a breakdown in air is made in a gap with an applied uniform electric field. The computer program is based on the classic determinist model of Townsend with account to secondary effects on the cathode and space charge effects in the gap. Nevertheless, this model takes into account the different ionic and electronic creative processes in the discharge. To the direct ionization must be added attachment, detachment and charge exchange processes. The continuity equation gouverning the densities is written for each charge carriers kind. The resolution of this system represents accurately the spatio-temporel evolution of the discharge. The results are in good agreement with the experimental results found in literature.