Summary:
The mechanism of the electric spark

by: Leonard B Loeb, Professor of Physics ,University of California at Berkeley; 
and John M Meek, Research Engineer; Publisher: Stanford University, Calif., 
Stanford University Press, 1941.

"This was the first real monograph you could get hold of on sparks." (IEEE)

Preface Comment
From: Gary Magratten
To: Sterling D. Allan
Sent: Friday, June 04, 2004 6:30 PM
Subject: Mechanism of the Electric Spark, Pupoff and Mark McKay
 
Dear Sterling,

      Attached is the summary of " The Mechanism of The Electric Spark" by Loeb 
and Meek.

     The work of Loeb and Meek basically states that in a spark gap
exposed to open air consisting of a simple cathode and anode,
there is a huge current gain due to avalanche. The work of Loeb and 
Meek is significant for two reasons; 

1)During the ionization of
air molecules into positive ions and negative ions, (free electrons)
a quanta of EMR is required to liberate each electron.
When the free electrons are absorbed by the high voltage anode
the free electrons become bound again, and give up a quanta
of electromagnetic radiation. Because of the huge increase in 
free electrons developed in avalanche the amount of EMR given
off by the high voltage anode is in the  range of hundred to thousand 
fold increase. Thus the huge "Radiant Event".

2) In both circuits the current from avalanche is recycled back to the
primary battery and the secondary battery. Please look at the circuit and
trace the path. Thus a never ending supply of current.

       Loeb and Meek were professors of physics at Berkeley and 
their work is well established by many test.

       When Mark [Mckay] and I were first doing research on the Gray Circuit
we (especially he) kept blowing up components. It was a year before
I read the rare book by Loeb and Meek that explained why the 
components were blowing up. There was a current gain of 500%
with the open air, high voltage spark gap. 

       The use of steel for the high voltage anode is also critical to 
a large 'Radiant Event'. I (believe) that the magnetic properties of 
steel play an important role in the release of this energy.  

       Keep up the good work!

       Gary Magratten