Re: volume polarization vs. surface charge

[Brian McInnes <bmcinnes@PNC.COM.AU>]

----------
> From: Bob Sciamanda <trebor@VELOCITY.NET>
> To: PHYS-L@LISTS.NAU.EDU
> Subject: Re: volume polarization vs. surface charge
> Date: Sun, 7 Mar 1999 1:51 PM

> > The surface charge due to polarization of a dielectric is,
whether
> you
> > consider it "real" or "virtual", not capable of constituting the
> charge
> > which makes the spark when the capacitor discharges. It isn't
> > macroscopically mobile.
>
>
> But the field of such "bound" charges can drive currents in nearby
> conductors, ionize air,

Does it ionise the air?  The field would have to be very
large for that.  I think what goes on there (and leads to
sparks) is a mechanism such as that describe by Chabey and
Sherwood (Electric and Magnetic Interactions, page 79:
cosmic rays produce the odd (transient) free electrons in
the air; the electric field accelerates these; ionization
occurs when accelerated electrons collide with neutral air
molecules; etc, etc

Brian McInnes