On a novel mechanism of gasodynamical propagation of a discharge

The results are presented of an experimental investigation of an equilibrium UHF discharge produced in a superdimension Wave channel. The causes of the discharge arising in a prebreakdown field are analyzed and the dynamics of the discharge is studied. On the basis of the experimental study of the Motion of the ionization front toward an incident electromagnetic wave a novel mechanism of discharge propagation is proposed which is connected with heating of the gas before the thermo-ionization front due to absorption of UHF energy in the plasma of the non self-maintained discharge produced by the ionizing ultraviolet radiation from the thermal discharge region It is shown that if the mechanism proposed is valid the velocity of the stationary motion of the ionization front is proportional to the energy flux density of the incident UHF radiation, and the distribution of the plasma and gas temperature is of a universal character