LAUSR

Abstract Traditionally, the studies on electrical discharges for soil remediation primarily focus on the degradation efficiency and reaction pathways of various types of discharges for various types of contaminants. In comparison, less attention has been paid on the investigation on the physical property of the plasma initiation and development process, which is essential for the generation of reactive species responsible for plasma-related reactions. In this paper, the electrical and optical behaviors of corona discharge in soil produced by negative DC high voltage are investigated. The images of the discharge are recorded, and the influence of different operating variables, including applied voltage, soil density, soil particle size, and water content level, on the discharge streamer structure and plasma temperature are examined through experiments. Possible mechanisms that could contribute to the observed phenomenon are discussed.