You searched for: “cumulative ionization
electron avalanche, avalanche effect, cascade, cumulative ionization
1. A chain reaction that starts when one free electron collides with one or more orbiting electrons and frees them.

The free electrons then free others in the same manner, etc.

2. The cumulative process in which an electron (or other charged particle) accelerated by a strong electric field collides with and ionizes gas molecules, thereby releasing new electrons which in turn have more collisions, so that the discharge is self-maintained.
This entry is located in the following unit: electro-, electr-, electri- (page 47)