Abstract
A theoretical model describing the propagation of an intense microwave pulse in an air breakdown environment was developed. The self-consistent description of the propagation process was provided by a set of two modal equations including a continuity equation (Poynting's equation) for the energy density of the pulse and a rate equation of the electron density. Results showed that using only a single unfocused microwave pulse transmitted upwards from the ground for the ionization, the maximum electron density produced at, e.g., 50 km altitude, is limited by the tail erosion effect to below 107 cm-3. A repetitive pulse approach and a focus beam approach were also examined.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 207-208 |
| Number of pages | 2 |
| Journal | IEEE International Conference on Plasma Science |
| State | Published - 1994 |
| Event | Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Plasma Science - Santa Fe, NM, USA Duration: Jun 6 1994 → Jun 8 1994 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering