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Title: Electron cyclotron resonance acceleration of electrons to relativistic energies by a microwave field in a mirror trap

Abstract

Results are presented from experiments on the acceleration of electrons by a 2.45-GHz microwave field in an adiabatic mirror trap under electron cyclotron resonance conditions, the electric and wave vectors of the wave being orthogonal to the trap axis. At a microwave electric field of {>=}10 V/cm and air pressures of 10{sup -6}-10{sup -4} Torr (the experiments were also performed with helium and argon), a self-sustained discharge was initiated in which a fraction of plasma electrons were accelerated to energies of 0.3-0.5 MeV. After the onset of instability, the acceleration terminated; the plasma decayed; and the accelerated electrons escaped toward the chamber wall, causing the generation of X-ray emission. Estimates show that electrons can be accelerated to the above energies only in the regime of self-phased interaction with the microwave field, provided that the electrons with a relativistically increased mass penetrate into the region with a higher magnetic field. It is shown that the negative-mass instability also can contribute to electron acceleration. The dynamic friction of the fast electrons by neutral particles in the drift space between the resonance zones does not suppress electron acceleration, so the electrons pass into a runaway regime. Since the air molecules excited by relativisticmore » runaway electrons radiate primarily in the red spectral region, this experiment can be considered as a model of high-altitude atmospheric discharges, known as 'red sprites.'.« less

Authors:
; ;  [1]
  1. Russian Academy of Sciences, Prokhorov Institute of General Physics (Russian Federation)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
21100169
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Plasma Physics Reports
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 33; Journal Issue: 6; Other Information: DOI: 10.1134/S1063780X07060037; Copyright (c) 2007 Nauka/Interperiodica; Article Copyright (c) 2007 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 1063-780X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; ACCELERATION; AIR; ARGON; ELECTRIC FIELDS; ELECTRON CYCLOTRON-RESONANCE; GHZ RANGE; HELIUM; MAGNETIC FIELDS; MEV RANGE; MICROWAVE RADIATION; MIRRORS; NEGATIVE MASS INSTABILITY; NEUTRAL PARTICLES; PLASMA; RELATIVISTIC RANGE; RUNAWAY ELECTRONS; TRAPS; X RADIATION

Citation Formats

Sergeichev, K F, Karfidov, D M, and Lukina, N A. Electron cyclotron resonance acceleration of electrons to relativistic energies by a microwave field in a mirror trap. United States: N. p., 2007. Web. doi:10.1134/S1063780X07060037.
Sergeichev, K F, Karfidov, D M, & Lukina, N A. Electron cyclotron resonance acceleration of electrons to relativistic energies by a microwave field in a mirror trap. United States. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063780X07060037
Sergeichev, K F, Karfidov, D M, and Lukina, N A. 2007. "Electron cyclotron resonance acceleration of electrons to relativistic energies by a microwave field in a mirror trap". United States. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063780X07060037.
@article{osti_21100169,
title = {Electron cyclotron resonance acceleration of electrons to relativistic energies by a microwave field in a mirror trap},
author = {Sergeichev, K F and Karfidov, D M and Lukina, N A},
abstractNote = {Results are presented from experiments on the acceleration of electrons by a 2.45-GHz microwave field in an adiabatic mirror trap under electron cyclotron resonance conditions, the electric and wave vectors of the wave being orthogonal to the trap axis. At a microwave electric field of {>=}10 V/cm and air pressures of 10{sup -6}-10{sup -4} Torr (the experiments were also performed with helium and argon), a self-sustained discharge was initiated in which a fraction of plasma electrons were accelerated to energies of 0.3-0.5 MeV. After the onset of instability, the acceleration terminated; the plasma decayed; and the accelerated electrons escaped toward the chamber wall, causing the generation of X-ray emission. Estimates show that electrons can be accelerated to the above energies only in the regime of self-phased interaction with the microwave field, provided that the electrons with a relativistically increased mass penetrate into the region with a higher magnetic field. It is shown that the negative-mass instability also can contribute to electron acceleration. The dynamic friction of the fast electrons by neutral particles in the drift space between the resonance zones does not suppress electron acceleration, so the electrons pass into a runaway regime. Since the air molecules excited by relativistic runaway electrons radiate primarily in the red spectral region, this experiment can be considered as a model of high-altitude atmospheric discharges, known as 'red sprites.'.},
doi = {10.1134/S1063780X07060037},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/21100169}, journal = {Plasma Physics Reports},
issn = {1063-780X},
number = 6,
volume = 33,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jun 15 00:00:00 EDT 2007},
month = {Fri Jun 15 00:00:00 EDT 2007}
}