The relation of the discharge energy, discharge duration and electrode material to the melting depth at a discharge point is calculated theoretically from the expression of the thermal conduction, and thus the discharge removal phenomenon is explained from the viewpoints of the melting depth and the suitable discharge duration for melting that can obtain the maximum melting depth.
Further, the removal quantity and the diameter and depth of the discharge crater are measured in relation to the results of such calculations, and it is confirmed that the results of the calculations agree well with those of experiments.
Then, the explanation of the discharge removal phenomenon by the thermal conduction theory is supplemented from observations on such phenomena as the creation of metalic oxides on the discharge surface, the creation and accumulation of materials of the carbon group, the transference of material from the electrode on the opposite side.