Rigid-body rotation of an electron cloud in divergent magnetic fields
- H.I.T.—Holon Institute of Technology, Holon 58102 (Israel)
- Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, New Jersey 08543 (United States)
For a given voltage across a divergent poloidal magnetic field, two electric potential distributions, each supported by a rigid-rotor electron cloud rotating with a different frequency, are found analytically. The two rotation frequencies correspond to the slow and fast rotation frequencies known in uniform plasma. Due to the centrifugal force, the equipotential surfaces, that correspond to the two electric potential distributions, diverge more than the magnetic surfaces do, the equipotential surfaces in the fast mode diverge largely in particular. The departure of the equipotential surfaces from the magnetic field surfaces may have a significant focusing effect on the ions accelerated by the electric field. The focusing effect could be important for laboratory plasma accelerators as well as for collimation of astrophysical jets.
- OSTI ID:
- 22227983
- Journal Information:
- Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 20, Issue 7; Other Information: (c) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1070-664X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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