Appearance of stable glow discharge in air, argon, oxygen and nitrogen at atmospheric pressure using a 50 Hz source

Unusual glow discharges in air, argon, oxygen and nitrogen at atmospheric pressure can be produced using a 50 Hz source. This technique is introduced on the basis of the idea of a lower dielectric breakdown voltage gas. The electrode system, which is composed of a fine metal wire mesh of specified radius and a dielectric substance, is very useful for plasma surface processes and for chemical reactions in the plasma bulk. The observations of the Lissajous figure of voltage-electric charges and of the current pulse shapes are proposed as a method of distinguishing between the atmospheric pressure glow plasma and the silent electric discharge.