Spectral analysis of the light emitted by prebreakdown phenomena in liquid and gaseous nonpolar fluids

In a previous study of electrical conduction phenomena in cyclohexane with point-plane electrode geometry, specific conduction regimes were observed as a function of point radius and voltage polarity. In the present work, an analysis is made of the characteristics of light emission (size of the luminous zone, spectral analysis, etc.) of these conduction regimes in nonpolar liquids of different electron mobility, K/sub e/, as a function of hydrostatic pressure, point radius, etc. A similar investigation was carried out on the gaseous hydrocarbons (methane, propane, etc.) as a function of the density. Experimental results, which show a relationship between K/sub e/ and the characteristics of conduction regimes, indicate that hot electron mechanisms have a considerable effect on conduction phenomena in purified nonpolar liquids.<>