Dynamics of negative coronas in airflow

Recent numerical studies captured the effects of airflow on positive streamers, when subjected to a lateral wind. The positive streamers initiate from the trailing side of the anode and propagate with a clear tilting in the direction of the airflow. In this paper, we present the results of a simulation of two successive negative corona pulses and investigate their behaviour when exposed to a lateral wind. We use a three-dimensional numerical model that couples the electrical discharge dynamics with the airflow and allows the study of the discharge on electrons and ions timescales. The results show that negative coronas are not easily influenced by the airflow and tilt just slightly in the flow direction. Our simulation explains the physical mechanism that governs the formation and termination of negative corona pulses (Trichel pulses) and describes for the first time the proposed cathode-directed streamer mechanism for negative corona current pulses (NCCPs).