Marx generator

A small demonstration Marx generator (tower on the right). It is a ten stage generator. The main discharge is on the left. The nine smaller sparks that can be seen in the image are the spark gaps that connect the charged capacitors in series.

A Marx generator is an electrical circuit first described by Erwin Otto Marx in 1924. Its purpose is to generate a high-voltage pulse from a low-voltage DC supply. Marx generators are used in high-energy physics experiments, as well as to simulate the effects of lightning on power-line gear and aviation equipment. A bank of 36 Marx generators is used by Sandia National Laboratories to generate X-rays in their Z Machine.