CRITERION OFSURFACE STABILITY TOARCDISCHARGE
A. Tslaf, Departmentof ElectricalEngineering · 1977
a channelisofa comparable magnitude andinoppositiontotheappliedfield,sparkdischarges cannotbe ignitedinthechannelandfurtherextension ofsuch channelwouldhavetowaittillthechargeisannulled ora reversalofpolarity oftheappliedvoltageoccurs. Consequently, themechanisms ofchargetrappingand annulment ina dielectric areimportant factorsin theassessment oftheability ofsuchmaterials toresisttreepenetration. Andthealmostuniversally accepted assumption thatthechannel ofanelectrical treecanbeconsidered as aneffective extension ofan electrode intothesolidinsulation isnotconsistent withtheresultsofthisinvestigation.