Energy balance and temperature in a CO/sub 2/-laser-produced plasma

Journal Article · Thu Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1984 · Phys. Fluids; (United States)

OSTI ID:6155408

Popil, R; Meyer, J; Ahlborn, B

An underdense CO/sub 2/-laser-produced plasma is experimentally investigated to determine the electron temperature explained in terms of an energy balance. Soft x-ray measurements show a 300 eV thermal and a 2000 eV suprathermal temperature. Ulbricht integrating sphere measurements along with interferometric data for the electron density indicate sufficient laser energy absorption to attain T/sub e/ of the order of 600 eV. A novel method of analysis of streak records of the radial expansion is implemented where the conditions of a Chapman--Jouguet detonation wave are applied to allow an independent determination of the thermal plasma temperature and absorbed energy. The observed thermal T/sub e/ is found to be consistent with linear inverse bremsstrahlung absorption using the measured degree of absorption provided by the Ulbricht sphere. The suprathermal temperature can be ascribed to be the result of the parametric processes in the plasma which are known to occur.

• Research Organization: Physics Department, University of British Columbia, 6224 Argiculture Road, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 2A6
• OSTI ID: 6155408
• Journal Information: Phys. Fluids; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Fluids; (United States) Vol. 27:11; ISSN PFLDA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700208* -- Fusion Power Plant Technology-- Inertial Confinement Technology
CARBON DIOXIDE LASERS
DATA
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRON DENSITY
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
ELEMENTS
ENERGY BALANCE
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GAS LASERS
INFORMATION
INTERFEROMETRY
IONIZING RADIATIONS
LASER-PRODUCED PLASMA
LASERS
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
NUMERICAL DATA
PHOTOGRAPHY
PLASMA
RADIATIONS
STREAK PHOTOGRAPHY
X RADIATION