Abstract
THE application of a crossed magnetic field to an electron swarm moving under the influence of a uniform electric field enabled Townsend1 to derive the high electron drift velocities, using a steady-state d.c. method without recourse to pulse techniques or oscilloscopes. From the measurement of the electron angular deflexion, θ−, and making use of the expression, deduced by Townsend, vT− = E/B tan θ−, in which E and B are the crossed electric and magnetic fields, respectively, the drift velocity, vT−, was obtained in an elementary way. In this communication the early treatment is extended to include the numerous practical cases in which Townsend's secondary ionization coefficient comes into play in the full development of a gaseous discharge.
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HEYLEN, A. Propagation of a Gaseous Discharge in a Crossed Magnetic Field. Nature 203, 745 (1964). https://doi.org/10.1038/203745a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/203745a0
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