Title

Population Inversions In Lightning Discharges?

Abstract

Population inversions are typically produced by applying an electrical current through the gas, such as in neon signs. Many possible excitation techniques can provide the pumping energy when this current is applied. These include processes such as electron impact excitation, charge exchange, Penning ionization, atom or molecular collisions, Auger decay, recombination and photoionization pumping. There are a number of molecules, such as excimers and CO2, that produce laser output at much higher pressures, but they are also generally very sensitive to the presence of impurities. Laboratory results have demonstrated a number of recombination lasers in a variety of elements, and researchers have succeeded in producing the nitrogen laser in air. This suggests that these inversions, and possibly even significant stimulated emission, could be occurring in lightning discharges.

Publication Date

1-1-2010

Publication Title

Optics and Photonics News

Volume

21

Issue

9

Number of Pages

32-37

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1364/OPN.21.9.000032

Socpus ID

77957606876 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/77957606876

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS