Generation of long plumes of cold atmospheric plasma in nitrogen and air has been successfully performed by the hybrid hollow electrode activated discharge (H-HEAD) source. The source with a simple cylindrical electrode terminated by a gas nozzle combines the microwave antenna plasma with the hollow cathode plasma generated inside the gas nozzle by pulsed dc power. The H-HEAD source is capable of generating up to 10 cm long plumes in air at microwave powers below 500 W and at air flow rates as low as 100 seem (standard cubic centimeter per minute). The corresponding flow rates in the nitrogen plasma are even less than 80 seem. The discharges in air and nitrogen have similar shapes and are comparable with the corresponding plasma columns in argon. A comparison of the optical emission spectra of the plasma in nitrogen and air is presented. The temperatures generated on steel substrates by interaction with nitrogen and air plasma columns at different microwaves and dc powers are compared with the corresponding effects in argon plasma. (c) 2006 American Vacuum Society.