Electrical and spectral property of cold arc plasma at atmospheric pressure

An atmospheric pressure plasma jet is generated with a cold arc discharge in ambient air. The current-voltage characteristics and optical emission spectra of plasma discharges are investigated. The molecular nitrogen (N2), hydroxyl radical (OH), and oxygen atom (O) are observed and analyzed. Based on the best fit of the simulated spectra of N2 (C3[prod] u + - B3[prod] g +) band and OH (A2 capital sigma + - X2[prod]) band transition and the experimentally recorded spectra, the rotational temperature and the vibrational temperature of atmospheric pressure cold arc plasma jet (APCAPJ) are estimated.