A tutorial demonstration of streamer physics via fluid simulations
作者
Zhihang Zhao,Raphaël J. Dijoud,Yangyang Fu
出处
期刊:Physics of Plasmas [American Institute of Physics] 日期:2025-11-01卷期号:32 (11)
标识
DOI:10.1063/5.0285288
摘要
Streamer discharge plays a central role in the electrical breakdown of matter in high electric fields, both in nature and in applied technology. This tutorial provides an intuitive introduction to the physics of streamer discharges using a fluid modeling approach. The fundamental mechanisms governing streamer inception, propagation, and interaction are demonstrated under representative electrode configurations and electric field conditions. Both positive and negative streamers are examined under uniform and nonuniform background fields. Temporal evolutions of key parameters, such as charge density, electric field, and propagation velocity, are analyzed to build a physical understanding of streamer dynamics. The relationships among streamer velocity, electron drift velocity, and diffusion velocity are analyzed to elucidate the self-consistent dynamics of the discharge front. The influence of humidity is also explored to demonstrate the environmental effects on discharge behavior. Under nonuniform electric fields, the development of the conduction and displacement currents and the morphological differences between positive and negative streamers are clarified. Finally, the interaction between oppositely charged streamers is analyzed, revealing how the electric field distribution at their heads determines the streamer interaction behavior. This tutorial integrates physical reasoning and numerical visualization to build an accessible foundation for understanding streamer discharge physics.