Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 14, 2026

Protocol for Biofilm Streamer Formation in a Microfluidic Device with Micro-pillars
Published on: August 20, 2014
Onset of treelike patterns in negative streamers
M Arrayás1, M A Fontelos, U Kindelán
1Área de Electromagnetismo, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Camino del Molino s/n, 28943 Fuenlabrada, Madrid, Spain.
Abstract:
We present analytical and numerical studies of the initial stage of the branching process based on an interface dynamics streamer model in the fully three-dimensional case. This model follows from fundamental considerations on charge production by impact ionization and balance laws, and leads to an equation for the evolution of the interface between ionized and nonionized regions. We compare some experimental patterns with the numerically simulated ones, and give an explicit expression for the growth rate of harmonic modes associated with the perturbation of a symmetrically expanding discharge. By means of full numerical simulation, the splitting and formation of characteristic treelike patterns of electric discharges is observed and described.
Related Concept Videos
Streamlines, Streaklines, and Pathlines
Fixed Action Patterns
Uniform Depth Channel Flow
Steady Flow of a Fluid Stream
During this process, the momentum of the fluid within the control volume remains constant over the time interval dt. By applying the...
Signal Flow Graphs
In a signal-flow graph, branches denote the system's transfer functions, while nodes represent the signals. The direction of signal flow is indicated by arrows, with the corresponding...
Stream Function

