Nonlinear expansion and heating of a nonneutral electron plasma due to elastic collisions with background neutral gas

Journal Article · Mon Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1996 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.871974· OSTI ID:288901

Davidson, R C; Chao, E H ^[1]

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1. Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (United States)

This paper investigates theoretically the heating and nonlinear expansion of a nonneutral electron plasma due to elastic collisions with constant collision frequency {nu}{sub {ital en}} between the plasma electrons and a background neutral gas. The model treats the electrons as a strongly magnetized fluid ({omega}{sub {ital pe}}{sup 2}/{omega}{sub {ital ce}}{sup 2}{lt}1) immersed in a uniform magnetic field {ital B}{sub 0}{ital {bold {cflx e}}}{sub {ital z}}. The model also assumes an axisymmetric plasma column ({partial_derivative}/{partial_derivative}{theta}=0) with negligible axial variation ({partial_derivative}/{partial_derivative}{ital z}=0), and that the process of heat conduction is sufficiently fast that the electrons have relaxed through electron-electron collisions to a quasi-equilibrium state with scalar pressure {ital P}({ital r},{ital t})={ital n}({ital r},{ital t}){ital T}, and isothermal temperature {ital T}. Assuming that the electrons undergo elastic collisions with infinitely massive background gas atoms, global energy conservation is used to calculate the electron heating rate, {ital dT}({ital t})/{ital dt}, as the plasma column expands on a time scale {tau}{sub {ital diff}}{approximately}({omega}{sub {ital pe}}{sup 2}{nu}{sub {ital en}}/{omega}{sub {ital ce}}{sup 2} ){sup {minus}1}, and the electrostatic potential energy decreases. Coupled dynamical equations that describe the nonlinear evolution of the mean-square column radius {ital r}{sup 2}{sub 0}({ital t}) and electron temperature {ital T}({ital t}) are derived and solved numerically. {copyright} {ital 1996 American Institute of Physics.}

• Research Organization: Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH03073
• OSTI ID: 288901
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 3; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ELASTIC SCATTERING
ELECTRON GAS
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
ELECTRON-ATOM COLLISIONS
PLASMA EXPANSION
PLASMA HEATING
RELAXATION