Editing Marx generator (section)

{{short description|High-voltage pulse generator}}
{{distinguish|Tesla coil}}
[[File:Marxgeneratorfz.JPG|thumb|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.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Marx |first1=Erwin |author-link=Erwin Otto Marx |title=Versuche über die Prüfung von Isolatoren mit Spanningsstößen |language=de |trans-title=Experiments on the Testing of Insulators using High Voltage Pulses |journal=Elektrotechnische Zeitschrift |issn=0424-0200 <!-- also 0948-7387 --> |oclc=5797229 |date=1924 |volume=25 |pages=652–654}}. This reference is suspect: the year 1924 and volume 25 do not match; the year 1924 corresponds to volume 45; volume 25 would be too early for Marx. Volker Weiss says 1925 and volume 45 which would also be wrong. Electrical World https://books.google.com/books?id=o3FEAQAAIAAJ&hl=en suggests Marx' Flashover testing article was June 11, 1925.</ref> 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 [[Electric power transmission|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 Pulsed Power Facility|Z Machine]].