Penetration of magnetic fields into plasmas

Technical Report · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1976

OSTI ID:5030633

Bengtson, R D

A pulsed plasma experiment was constructed to study the penetration of a fast-rising magnetic pulse into an initially unmagnetized, weakly ionized plasma of density 10/sup 11/ to 10/sup 13/ cm/sup -3/. Magnetic probe data was analyzed using a magnetohydrodynamic approach to obtain detailed information about the dynamics of the penetration mechanism. In particular it is possible to obtain the local resistivity and thus the collision frequency from this data. These collision frequencies compare favorably with theoretical estimates of turbulent collision frequencies. The data indicates that sufficient energy is absorbed to heat the bulk of the plasma to temeratures in excess of 1 keV. A differential rotation of a collisionless theta-pinch column during implosion has been observed and explained by a model in which the driving mechanism is the off-diagonal element p/sub r theta/ of the pressure tensor. Rotational motion was detected by directional probes and spectroscopic techniques. Experimental data were modeled by a one-dimensional hybrid code which included ionization and charge exchange of protons with neutral H atoms.

• Research Organization: Texas Univ., Austin (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5030633
• Report Number(s): COO-4726-3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700202* -- Fusion Power Plant Technology-- Magnet Coils & Fields
COLLISIONLESS PLASMA
COMPUTER CALCULATIONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC PROBES
ONE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
PINCH EFFECT
PLASMA
PROBES
SKIN EFFECT
THETA PINCH