Numerical modeling of electromagnetic fields generated by electrostatic discharges

In this paper a numerical model for the computation of the electromagnetic field produced by an electrostatic discharge (ESD), occurring in the vicinity of a system of conducting objects, is presented. The ESD is modeled by a current flowing into a ionized channel located between two initially charged surfaces. The electromagnetic field generated by the ESD event is computed by means of a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) algorithm based on the Yee's space-time mesh, and on the Mur's absorbing boundary conditions (ABC). A validation of the model by comparison against measured data is shown and an application to the analysis of the electromagnetic (EM) field produced by an ESD in a shielded box is presented.