Electron Avalanche

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Electron Avalanche

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The process in which a relatively small number of free electrons in a gas that is subjected to a strong electric field accelerate, ionize gas atoms by collision, and thus form new free electrons to undergo the same process in cumulative fashion. </dd>
An avalanche cannot begin until the local electric field strength is high enough to accelerate a free electron to the minimum ionizing speed in the space and time interval corresponding to one mean free path of the electron, for upon collision, the electron usually loses its forward motion in the direction of the field. [[/a>|/a>]] </dd>

References

This article is based on NASA's Dictionary of Technical Terms for Aerospace Use