The discharge characteristics of CO₂ nanosecond pulsed dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) under Mars atmospheric condition has been studied by using nanosecond pulsed source. A vacuum system, together with DBD chamber, is designed to achieve low pressure environment. Also, a one-dimensional fluid model of the CO₂ DBD is established for simulation research. Different energization parameters were used, including voltage magnitude, voltage rising rate, repetition frequency and plateau region duration. The relationships between discharge voltage and current wave-forms and energization parameters have been analyzed. Experimental results were compared with simulated ones in order to figure out the mechanism and characteristics of CO₂ discharge under Mars atmospheric condition. Results showed that the discharge current magnitude is proportional to the voltage rising rate while it is reversely proportional to repetition frequency. The current magnitude is irrelevant to plateau region duration under Mars atmospheric condition. However, the current magnitude, on the falling edge of voltage, is proportional to the plateau region duration under Earth atmospheric condition. This is due to the difference in the mobility of charge carriers under different conditions.

Nanosecond pulsed discharge, CO2 discharge, Martian atmospheric condition, dielectric barrier discharge, discharge characteristics