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Direct Combinational Measurements of the Electron Density and Electric Field in Secondary Streamer Discharge under Atmospheric-Pressure Air

Yuki Inada*,†, Tatsutoshi Shioda, and Ryosuke Nakamura

Akiko Kumada

Mitsuaki Maeyama

Ryo Ono

  • Division of Mathematics, Electronics and Information Sciences, Saitama University, Shimo-Okubo, Sakura-ku, Saitama, Saitama 338-8570, Japan

  • Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Systems, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan

  • Division of Mathematics, Electronics and Information Sciences, Saitama University, Shimo-Okubo, Sakura-ku, Saitama, Saitama 338-8570, Japan

  • *Contact author: inada@mail.saitama-u.ac.jp
  • †Also at PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan.
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Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 245301 – Published 8 December, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/5sv6-28qp

Abstract

The electron density and electric field govern physical and chemical reactions in a secondary streamer discharge under atmospheric-pressure air. We present direct combinational measurements of these essential quantities and demonstrate their consistency by solving the continuity equation for electrons. The measurements enabled validity examination of previous computational studies and clarified contradictions; the prominence was a near-cathode phenomenon measured during primary-to-secondary transition, which caused unpredicted ionization inside the positive secondary discharge. The thorough comparison revealed that a fundamental governing mechanism to be established for the secondary discharge is current continuity.

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Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 245301– Published 8 December, 2025
  • Received 29 November 2024
  • Revised 29 October 2025
  • Accepted 31 October 2025
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