A spectroscopic device, capable of simultaneous spatial, spectral and time resolution has been built and tested. The system uses a plane grating spectrograph, two fast CCD detectors coupled to the focal plane with image guides and a multifaceted rotating mirror as a shutter. The two CCDS are clocked together and their frame acquisition is synchronized with the facets of the mirror. Up to 30 double frames, each with an exposure time of <0.5 mu s and separated in time by approximately=0.7 ms can be recorded. The system is used for time and space resolved spectroscopic diagnostics of the arc during the breaking of the current in a high-voltage circuit breaker. It allows density and temperature measurements to be performed.

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A new optical instrument is described which images the arc discharges which originate inside SF, gas high-voltage circuit breakers at the moment of contact separation, while it follows the time evolution. The instrument performs a series of double simultaneous discharge images, with adjustable exposure times between 7 and 80 ps and frame rate 5 2 kHz. The instrument design principles, realization details and characterization measurements are reported and discussed. Finally, the first measurements carried out by the instrument on a real breaker are reported.