Dielectric breakdown model
Encyclopedia
Dielectric breakdown model (DBM) is a macroscopic mathematical model
combining the diffusion-limited aggregation
model with electric field
. It was developed by Niemeyer, Pietronero, and Weismann in 1984. It describes the patterns of dielectric breakdown of solids, liquids, and even gases, explaining the formation of the branching, self-similar Lichtenberg figure
s.
Mathematical model
A mathematical model is a description of a system using mathematical concepts and language. The process of developing a mathematical model is termed mathematical modeling. Mathematical models are used not only in the natural sciences and engineering disciplines A mathematical model is a...
combining the diffusion-limited aggregation
Diffusion-limited aggregation
Diffusion-limited aggregation is the process whereby particles undergoing a random walk due to Brownian motion cluster together to form aggregates of such particles. This theory, proposed by Witten and Sander in 1981, is applicable to aggregation in any system where diffusion is the primary means...
model with electric field
Electric field
In physics, an electric field surrounds electrically charged particles and time-varying magnetic fields. The electric field depicts the force exerted on other electrically charged objects by the electrically charged particle the field is surrounding...
. It was developed by Niemeyer, Pietronero, and Weismann in 1984. It describes the patterns of dielectric breakdown of solids, liquids, and even gases, explaining the formation of the branching, self-similar Lichtenberg figure
Lichtenberg figure
Lichtenberg figures are branching electric discharges that sometimes appear on the surface or the interior of insulating materials. They are named after the German physicist Georg Christoph Lichtenberg, who originally discovered and studied them...
s.