Modeling the propagation of long, intense microwave pulses in mixtures of air and SF sub 6

Journal Article · Sat Mar 31 23:00:00 EST 1990 · IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/27.131021· OSTI ID:6682452

Khanaka, G H; Yee, J H; Mayhall, D J ^[1]

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1. Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)

The authors have used a set of self-consistent equations to study the interaction of long, intense microwave pulses with gases. They found that the threshold for breakdown is a factor of seven higher in SF{sub 6} than in air. This difference is attributed to the fact that SF{sub 6} is an insulator. When SF{sub 6} was mixed with air, the breakdown threshold increased with the increase in the percentage of SF{sub 6}. Introducing 5--10% of SF{sub 6} in air increased the breakdown threshold by a factor of 3--4. The electron density and conductivity and the plasma frequency increased as the pulse intensity increased. The growth rates of the electron density and conductivity were much higher in air than in SF{sub 6}.

• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 6682452
• Journal Information: IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (USA), Journal Name: IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (USA) Vol. 18:2; ISSN ITPSB; ISSN 0093-3813
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700101* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Confinement
Heating
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700108 -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Wave Phenomena
AIR
BREAKDOWN
CURRENTS
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRON DENSITY
EQUATIONS
FLUIDS
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
GASES
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
INTERACTIONS
MAXWELL EQUATIONS
MICROWAVE RADIATION
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLASMA PRODUCTION
PLASMA WAVES
RADIATIONS
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON FLUORIDES
THRESHOLD CURRENT
WAVE PROPAGATION