Current halo structures in high-current plasma experiments: {theta}-pinch

Journal Article · Thu Mar 15 04:00:00 EDT 2007 · Plasma Physics Reports

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063780X07030117· OSTI ID:21100189

Matveev, Yu V ^[1]

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1. Sukhumi Physicotechnical Institute, Abkhazia (Georgia)

Experimental data elucidating mechanisms for halo formation in {theta}-pinch discharges are presented and discussed. The experiments were performed with different gases (H{sub 2}, D{sub 2}, He, and Ar) in a theta-pinch device with a porcelain vacuum chamber and an excitation coil 15 cm in diameter and 30 cm in length. The stored energy, the current in the excitation coil, and the current half-period were W = 10 kJ, I = 400 kA, and T/2 = 14 {mu}s, respectively. It is found that the plasma rings (halos) surrounding the pinch core arise as a result of coaxial pinch stratification due to both the excitation of closed currents (inductons) inside the pinch and the radial convergence of the plasma current sheaths produced after the explosion of T-layers formed near the wall in the initial stage of the discharge. It is concluded that halo structures observed in pinches, tokamaks, and other high-current devices used in controlled fusion research have the same nature.

• OSTI ID: 21100189
• Journal Information: Plasma Physics Reports, Journal Name: Plasma Physics Reports Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 33; ISSN PPHREM; ISSN 1063-780X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
CONVERGENCE
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
EQUIPMENT
EXCITATION
EXPLOSIONS
GASES
HYDROGEN
LAYERS
LENGTH
PLASMA
PLASMA RINGS
PORCELAIN
STORED ENERGY
STRATIFICATION
THETA PINCH
TOKAMAK DEVICES