When you want to study something, sometimes the best way to study that subject, or object, is to emulate it. Thus...

Micro-Cap's macro for a spark gap is a software analog for the internal dynamics of a spark gap. Studying their macro yields knowledge of spark gap behavior.

Counterfacing, or counter-opposing, diodes also emulates the behavior of a spark gap when the interconnecting resistances are very high surrounding the diodes and everything else in any circuit containing this type of arrangement.