A critical resistance for flashing of the low voltage neon discharge tube

The Paper deals with the resistance conditions necessary for the maintenance of the wellknown phenomenon of flashing of the neon discharge tube. It is shown theoretically that there is a critical value Rc, for the resistance in series with the neon tube, below which no flashes can be obtained. This critical value of the resistance is expressed by the relation Rc = (E - VB)/[k(VB - VA)], where E is the charging voltage, VB the lower critical voltage, VA the kathode fall of potential (approximately), and k the conductance of the discharge tube. Experimental observations confirm this relation exactly in the case of the Osglim lamp.