Cunha, M. D.Benilov, M. S.Hartmann, W.Wenzel, N.2022-09-022022-09-022016Cunha, M. D., Benilov, M. S., Hartmann, W., & Wenzel, N. (2016, September). Simulation of thermal instability in non-uniformities on the surface of cathodes of vacuum arcs. In 2016 27th International Symposium on Discharges and Electrical Insulation in Vacuum (ISDEIV) (Vol. 1, pp. 1-4). IEEE.http://hdl.handle.net/10400.13/4557Instability stemming from the strong dependence of electron emission current on the local surface temperature plays an important role in current transfer to hot cathodes of arc discharges. In the case of vacuum arcs, this instability may lead to micro explosions on cathode surface even if the surface is planar. This work is concerned with numerical simulation of effect produced by surface non-uniformities. It is found that the effect is non-trivial: the presence of surface non-uniformities can not only accelerate the development of the instability, which is what one would expect intuitively, but also slow it down and even suppress.engVacuum arcsCathodesThermal instability.Faculdade de Ciências Exatas e da Engenhariaconference object10.1109/DEIV.2016.7748732