Systems and methods for non-flammable indication of incendivity

Incendivity test system 10 comprises test article 20 in test chamber 12 in contact with non-flammable gas mixture 30, perhaps containing a oxidant or diluent. An energy discharge is applied to the test article. Detection device 50 measures an amount of one or more components of the gas mixture representing reaction of thermally reactive reagent 32 in response to the discharge. Based on this amount, incendivity of the test article is determined. In an aspect, the energy discharge is a simulated lightning strike. A stream of gas mixture may be flowed over the article. Different reagents may react to different ignition sources. The reagent may be a combustion fuel or halocarbon, and may be too lean to support self-propagating combustion thereof. The energy discharge may be an electrical power, voltage or current source. Measuring may comprise mass spectrometry, gas chromatography, optical spectrometry, laser induced fluorescence, or Fourier transform infrared spectrometry.