Contribution of Thermal Emission to the Concentration of Charges in the Laser Beam Propagating Through the Aerosol

A mathematical model of the processes occurring in aerodisperse media with solid particles during interaction with laser radiation has been compiled. The model takes into account the thermoemission of electrons from the surface of microparticles and laser breakdown. Calculations show the possibility of weak continuous ionization of the air medium at a distance of several centimeters from the breakdown source due to ionization of NO molecules and thermochemical reactions in a long laser spark. Heating of solid aerosol particles by long laser pulses leads to an additional increase in the concentration of charges in the air due to thermoemission. The existence of increased electronic conductivity of air between breakdown foci forms a significant advantage of laser spark length over laser channels having only ionic conductivity.