EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF COMPRESSIONAL HYDROMAGNETIC WAVES

Journal Article · Sat Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1964 · Physics of Fluids (U.S.)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1711195· OSTI ID:4074028

Swanson, D G; Gould, R W; Hertel, R H

An experiment is described in which a compressional hydromagnetic wave is observed in a hydrogen plasmafilled wavegaide. The theory of a cool, partially ionized, resistive plasma in a magnetic field is described and expressions are derived for the dispersion relation and transfer function, which include both the propagation and attenuation constants as a function of frequency. Measurements of the cutoff frequency are presented, which verify its linear dependence on the magnetic field, and they show good agreement with theory on the variation with the ion mass density. The impulse response of the plasma is studied, transformed into the frequency domain, and quantitative comparisons are made with the theoretical transfer function to determine the degree of ionization, the resistivity, and the ion-neutral collision frequency. Results indicate that the degree of ionization varies over a range from 75 to 45% when the initial density varies from 1.3 x 10/sup 21/ to 1.4 x 10/sup 22/ atoms/mg. The measured resistivity appears to increase with the magnetic field, with the mean value corresponding to a temperature of the order of 5 x 10/sup 3/ deg K. The average value of the product of the charge exchange cross section and the neutral thermal speed is found to be approximately (5.5 plus or minus 1.3) x 10/ sup -15/ m/sup 3/sec. (auth)

• Research Organization: California Inst. of Tech., Pasadena
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-18-009510
• OSTI ID: 4074028
• Journal Information: Physics of Fluids (U.S.), Journal Name: Physics of Fluids (U.S.) Vol. Vol: 7; ISSN PFLDA
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ALFVEN WAVES
CHARGE EXCHANGE
CIRCUITS
COLLISIONS
CROSS SECTIONS
DENSITY
DISPERSION RELATIONS
ELECTRIC CHARGES
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FIELD THEORY
FREQUENCY
HIGH TEMPERATURE
HYDROGEN
HYDROMAGNETIC WAVES
INTERACTIONS
IONIZATION
IONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MASS
MEASURED VALUES
MICROWAVES
MOTION
PHYSICS
PLASMA
PLASMA WAVES
QUANTUM MECHANICS
SCATTERING
SCATTERING AMPLITUDE
SLOWDOWN
WAVEGUIDES