X-ray measurements during whistler-mode electron cyclotron resonance plasma startup and heating in an axisymmetric magnetic mirror

Journal Article · Wed Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1986 · IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/TPS.1986.4316602· OSTI ID:5076885

Booske, J H; Getty, W D; Gilgenbach, R M; Goodman, T P; Pitcher, E J; Jong, R A

New measurements and analyses of whistler-mode electron cyclotron resonant heating (ECRH) startup and heating in an axisymmetric magnetic mirror are presented. Experimental studies of startup are presented which include the effects of initial neutral gas pressure on density and energy buildup rates, the effects of electron-beam-generated seed plasma on startup times, and a possible density threshold for the absolute whistler instability. Results of two types of analyses are presented. The first is a Fokker-Planck finite-element simulation the principal result of which is the prediction of the creation of a sloshing electron velocity distribution in the first 10 ..mu..s after microwave power is applied. The second simulation uses rate equations to predict buildup, with rate coefficients based on a model sloshing-electron distribution function. Both results are consistent with experimental observations. Measurements of X-ray emission provided information about plasma transport, the sloshing electron spatial distribution, and the hot-electron average energy. The foil ratio technique gave average energies of 1-3 keV during whistler-mode ECRH, in agreement with afterglow measurements of hot electron decay. Possible applications of whistler-mode ECRH plasma production and heating are for plasma soft X-ray sources and plasma potential modification in tandem mirror machines.

• Research Organization: Lab. for Plasma and Fusion Energy Studies, Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742
• OSTI ID: 5076885
• Journal Information: IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci.; (United States), Journal Name: IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci.; (United States) Vol. PS-14:5; ISSN ITPSB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700101* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Confinement
Heating
& Production
700107 -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Instabilities
AFTERGLOW
AXIAL SYMMETRY
BEAMS
BUILDUP
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
DECAY
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
DISTRIBUTION
ECR HEATING
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRON BEAMS
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ENERGY RANGE
EQUATIONS
FERMIONS
FOKKER-PLANCK EQUATION
HEATING
HIGH-FREQUENCY HEATING
INSTABILITY
IONIZING RADIATIONS
KEV RANGE
KEV RANGE 01-10
LEPTON BEAMS
LEPTONS
MAGNETIC MIRROR TYPE REACTORS
MAGNETIC MIRRORS
MICROWAVE RADIATION
NONDESTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS
OPEN PLASMA DEVICES
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
PARTICLE BEAMS
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA HEATING
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MACROINSTABILITIES
PLASMA PRODUCTION
PLASMA SEEDING
PRESSURE EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SOFT X RADIATION
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
SYMMETRY
TANDEM MIRRORS
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
THERMONUCLEAR IGNITION
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS
TIME DEPENDENCE
WHISTLER INSTABILITY
X RADIATION
X-RAY EMISSION ANALYSIS