The use of pulse powering for electrostatic precipitators has shown several advantages but the underlying physics has been insufficiently understood to allow any optimization. A numerical model has been assembled which allows the controlling corona process to be simulated in both time and space to permit estimation of the ion densities and field distributions to be expected for a wide range of transient electrical parameters and gas properties. Supporting laboratory measurements have been undertaken under dc and pulse conditions both to verify the simulation and to provide corona spot density data not readily obtainable by other means.