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Title: Observation of plasma jets in a table top plasma focus discharge

Abstract

In the last years, medium size Z-pinch experiments operating at tens of kJ are being used to create supersonic plasma jets. Those experiments are produced with wire arrays and radial foils, and they are conducted in generators based on water-filled transmission lines. Also plasma jets have been observed in small X-pinch experiments operating at 1 kJ. In this work, observations of plasma jets produced in a table top plasma focus device by means of optical and digital interferometry are shown. The device was operated at only ∼70 J, achieving 50 kA in 150 ns. The plasma jets were observed after the pinch, in the region close and on the anode, along the axis. The electron density measured from the jets is in the range 10{sup 24}–10{sup 25 }m{sup −3}. From two consecutive plasma images separated 18 ns, the axial jet velocity was measured in the order of 4 × 10{sup 4 }m/s.

Authors:
;  [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Comisión Chilena de Energía Nuclear, CCHEN, Casilla 188-D, Santiago (Chile)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22408284
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Physics of Plasmas
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 22; Journal Issue: 4; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; ANODES; ELECTRON DENSITY; FOILS; IMAGES; INTERFEROMETRY; PLASMA FOCUS; PLASMA FOCUS DEVICES; PLASMA JETS; VELOCITY; WATER; WIRES

Citation Formats

Pavez, Cristian, Soto, Leopoldo, Center for Research and Applications in Plasma Physics and Pulsed Power, P4, Santiago-Talca, Departamento de Ciencias Físicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Andrés Bello, República 220, Santiago, Pedreros, José, Departamento de Ingeniería Eléctrica, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Tarifeño-Saldivia, Ariel, and Center for Research and Applications in Plasma Physics and Pulsed Power, P4, Santiago-Talca. Observation of plasma jets in a table top plasma focus discharge. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4919260.
Pavez, Cristian, Soto, Leopoldo, Center for Research and Applications in Plasma Physics and Pulsed Power, P4, Santiago-Talca, Departamento de Ciencias Físicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Andrés Bello, República 220, Santiago, Pedreros, José, Departamento de Ingeniería Eléctrica, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Tarifeño-Saldivia, Ariel, & Center for Research and Applications in Plasma Physics and Pulsed Power, P4, Santiago-Talca. Observation of plasma jets in a table top plasma focus discharge. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4919260
Pavez, Cristian, Soto, Leopoldo, Center for Research and Applications in Plasma Physics and Pulsed Power, P4, Santiago-Talca, Departamento de Ciencias Físicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Andrés Bello, República 220, Santiago, Pedreros, José, Departamento de Ingeniería Eléctrica, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Tarifeño-Saldivia, Ariel, and Center for Research and Applications in Plasma Physics and Pulsed Power, P4, Santiago-Talca. 2015. "Observation of plasma jets in a table top plasma focus discharge". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4919260.
@article{osti_22408284,
title = {Observation of plasma jets in a table top plasma focus discharge},
author = {Pavez, Cristian and Soto, Leopoldo and Center for Research and Applications in Plasma Physics and Pulsed Power, P4, Santiago-Talca and Departamento de Ciencias Físicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Andrés Bello, República 220, Santiago and Pedreros, José and Departamento de Ingeniería Eléctrica, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago and Tarifeño-Saldivia, Ariel and Center for Research and Applications in Plasma Physics and Pulsed Power, P4, Santiago-Talca},
abstractNote = {In the last years, medium size Z-pinch experiments operating at tens of kJ are being used to create supersonic plasma jets. Those experiments are produced with wire arrays and radial foils, and they are conducted in generators based on water-filled transmission lines. Also plasma jets have been observed in small X-pinch experiments operating at 1 kJ. In this work, observations of plasma jets produced in a table top plasma focus device by means of optical and digital interferometry are shown. The device was operated at only ∼70 J, achieving 50 kA in 150 ns. The plasma jets were observed after the pinch, in the region close and on the anode, along the axis. The electron density measured from the jets is in the range 10{sup 24}–10{sup 25 }m{sup −3}. From two consecutive plasma images separated 18 ns, the axial jet velocity was measured in the order of 4 × 10{sup 4 }m/s.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4919260},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22408284}, journal = {Physics of Plasmas},
issn = {1070-664X},
number = 4,
volume = 22,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Wed Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}