Similarities between the plasma vortex filaments (relativistic and nonrelativistic) observed in the plasma focus and in conventional relativistic electron-beam machines

Journal Article · Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1987 · Fusion Technol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6197772

Bostick, W H

In 1966, the Stevens Institute of Technology (SIT) plasma focus group demonstrated experimentally that the current sheath of the plasma focus is carried by pairs of plasma vortex filaments, which exhibit a force-free, Beltrami-type morphology. Experiments at SIT in 1980 and at the Air Force Weapons Laboratory (AFWL) show that relativistic electron beams traveling through a background gas of -- 1 Torr, and even in a ''vacuum'' diode, exhibit the same type of filamentary morphology, but on a spatial dimension scale, which extends down to the 1-..mu..m region. Some of the experimental evidence accumulated in work at AFWL from 1979, to 1981, which supports the statement that there is a close similarity between current-carrying morphologies of the plasma focus and the relativistic beam machines, is presented.

• Research Organization: Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ 07030
• OSTI ID: 6197772
• Journal Information: Fusion Technol.; (United States), Vol. 12:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
PLASMA FILAMENT
MORPHOLOGY
PLASMA FOCUS
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRON BEAMS
GASES
LOW PRESSURE
PLASMA SHEATH
RELATIVISTIC BEAM INJECTION
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
VACUUM SYSTEMS
VORTICES
BEAM INJECTION
BEAMS
CURRENTS
FLUIDS
LEPTON BEAMS
PARTICLE BEAMS
700209* - Fusion Power Plant Technology- Component Development & Materials Testing