Electrical and time-resolved spectroscopic characterization of pulsed discharge in soil matrices

Abstract Non-thermal plasma technology is a transformative "green" tool for soil remediation, yet the underlying physics of discharge within complex soil matrices remains elusive. This work utilizes nanosecondresolved optical emission spectroscopy to decode the transient evolution of excited species during pulsed soil discharge. A striking asymmetry in discharge dynamics was discovered: when the pulse rise time exceeds 300 ns, multiple discharge events occur exclusively during the rising edge. Conversely, the falling edge strictly exhibits a monophasic event, and the pulse plateau remains optically and electrically quiescent. These findings not only enrich the fundamental understanding of multiphase plasma physics but also provide a theoretical framework for precision waveform tailoring and maximize the yield of targeted reactive species in environmental applications.