Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 December 2004
Measurements of electrostatic force generated in thedrift region of a positive unipolar wire-to-plane corona dischargein air are compared with numerical simulations. The generated forcedoes not depend on the ion mobilities, preventing the influence ofuncertainty and variation of these parameters. A method is describedto simulate the voltage and charge distribution for a wire-to-planeset-up. This method enables the determination of the transitionbetween unipolar and bipolar discharges. In the experimental set-upbreakdown electric field of air reduces with increasing dischargecurrent.