Forward ionization waves externally excited in hydrogen positive columns of glow discharges

The ionization waves guided by H+ and H3+ ions in the positive columns of H2 gas is theoretically calculated by dissolving the variables in the basic equations. The frequency increases as the increase of the wavenumber with the minimum damping rate in a certain range of small wavenumbers. A forward wave property appears with the same directions of the group and phase velocities to the anode from the cathode. The theoretical dependences of the frequency on the discharge current and the gas pressure for the minimum damping rate agree with the experimental ones for the excited wave. (author)