The present thesis combines work on absolute and time resolved measurements of O and N atom densities and electric field as a function of specific deposited energy in nanosecond pulsed discharges at high reduced electric fields (above 100 Td) that develop in form of fast ionization wave (FIW). Ground state O-atom number density, [O], in capillary discharge in 28 mbar air with specific deposited energy of 0.5-1 eV/molecule was measured by optical actinometry technique with Ar as an actinometric admixture. Ar actinometric signal was corrected for N2 first positive system’s background emission. The experiment was highly supported by modelling of kinetic processes in plasma. It has been revealed that in conditions of both high reduced electric ...