Phenomenological features of diaphragm discharge

Flame formations of relatively little-studied diaphragm discharge in water at low energy of discharge (up to $10$ J) are investigated. Its particular features show up in the fundamental difference in shape between the anode and cathode flames on both sides of the diaphragm, in the difference in variation of their shape and size with the variation of electrical conductivity of the medium, in polar development of flames from the diaphragm to their electrodes, in the possibility of existence of “half-breakdowns”, and in the difference between them depending on polarity, in a special form of cathode breakdown.