  We have used the photoemission spectroscopy of the graphite hollow cathode
sooting discharge to identify the roles played by the kinetic and potential
sputtering, respectively. Our indicators are the relative densities of the
sputtered carbon C, the Ne metastable atoms, and the ionized components (Ne+)
of the regenerative sooting plasma. We find that the metastable atoms are the
main agents for the regeneration of the soot.
