Q292 : Physical Meaning of Leakage Currents in HIFREQ

Question
What is the physical meaning of leakage currents in HIFREQ, especially for conductors in the air?

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Answer
The leakage current in HIFREQ represents the current that escapes the conductor radially. It has two components: a conductive component where electric charges physically leave (or enter) the conductor along its length, and a capacitive component, where a displacement current leaves or enters the conductor. The leakage current is what maintains the potential of a conductor, and is also largely responsible for the electric fields generated in the air (through the potential gradients). It is therefore a very important quantity.

The magnitude of the leakage current should be roughly inversely proportional to the medium's complex conductivity at the computation frequency, otherwise very large electric fields can result.

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