THE EMISSION OF IONIZING RADIATION DURING A SPARK DISCHARGE

A high voltage pulse lasting 0.35 microsecond is applied to a pair of delay lines, so that two pulses can be picked up from adjustable points of connection on the lines. One is applied to an irradiating gap and the other to a longer test gap, the gaps being so arranged that only mid-gap irradiation occurs. The sparking probability, P, of the test gap is used to indicate the presence of ionizing radiation. Variations of P with the time interval between the two pulses are recorded. They indicate that ionizing radiation is emitted in repeated short flashes. Photographic observations support this view.