While testing the ignition system on my car with a variable gap spark tester I noticed that the spark was orange. I suspect that there may be a problem with the ignition coil such that there is sufficient voltage to jump the air gap, but that not enough amperage to generate a nice blue spark.
While researching the color of air sparks, I came across this in a wiki on ionized air glow:
Rydberg atoms, generated by low-frequency lightnings, emit at red to orange color and can give the lightning a yellowish to greenish tint.
Might low amperage and Rydberg atoms be the reason for my sparks being orange?
I also ran across this Briggs and Stratton page which claims:
Orange and yellow come from particles of sodium in the air ionizing in the high energy of the spark gap
But the question would still remain why some air gap sparks are blue while others have this orange / yellow coloring.
If not, what might be another explanation for my orange sparks?
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