| Webster's Online Dictionary |
| Expressions | Definition | ||
| Electron avalanche | These high-energy electrons, accelerated by the field, (whichever their direction of travel) often collide with neutral atoms inelastically, potentially ionizing those atoms. In a chain-reaction - or 'electron avalanche' - those additional electrons are also separated from their positive ions by the strong potential gradient, causing a large cloud of electrons and positive ions to be momentarily generated by just a single initial event. (references) | ||
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | Top | ||
| Expressions | Domain | Definition | |
| Electron avalanche | Aerospace | 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. 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. (references) | |
| Electron avalanche | Physics | One group of electrons freed by cumulative ionization. Source: European Union. (references) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | Top | ||
