Rotational temperature measurements in atmospheric pulsed dielectric barrier discharge - gas temperature and molecular fraction effects

Abstract

This study was dedicated to the correlation between the rotational temperature and the plasma gas temperature in a non-thermal atmospheric plasma obtained by a dielectric barrier discharge. Different parameters were modified (e.g. gas temperature, molecular fraction) in argon water gas mixtures. The rotational temperature of OH(A) was spectroscopically measured. It is shown that in mixtures mainly composed of atomic species, namely rare gases, the OH(A) rotational temperature is strongly correlated with a gas temperature streamer. In mixed (atomic and molecular) plasmas it seems that the rotational temperature can constitute an approach to the translational energy of heavy particles in the streamer areas.