skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Investigation of radiative bow-shocks in magnetically accelerated plasma flows

Abstract

We present a study of the formation of bow shocks in radiatively cooled plasma flows. This work uses an inverse wire array to provide a quasi-uniform, large scale hydrodynamic flow accelerated by Lorentz forces to supersonic velocities. This flow impacts a stationary object placed in its path, forming a well-defined Mach cone. Interferogram data are used to determine a Mach number of ∼6, which may increase with radial position suggesting a strongly cooling flow. Self-emission imaging shows the formation of a thin (<60 μm) strongly emitting shock region, where T{sub e} ∼ 40–50 eV, and rapid cooling behind the shock. Emission is observed upstream of the shock position which appears consistent with a radiation driven phenomenon. Data are compared to 2-dimensional simulations using the Gorgon MHD code, which show good agreement with the experiments. The simulations are also used to investigate the effect of magnetic field in the target, demonstrating that the bow-shocks have a high plasma β, and the influence of B-field at the shock is small. This consistent with experimental measurement with micro bdot probes.

Authors:
;  [1]; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;  [2]; ; ;  [3];  [4]
  1. University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093 (United States)
  2. Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850 (United States)
  3. Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2BW (United Kingdom)
  4. Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22410326
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Physics of Plasmas
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 22; Journal Issue: 5; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; COOLING; EV RANGE; HIGH-BETA PLASMA; LORENTZ FORCE; MACH NUMBER; MAGNETIC FIELDS; MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS; PROBES; SHOCK WAVES; SUPERSONIC FLOW; TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS

Citation Formats

Bott-Suzuki, S. C., E-mail: sbottsuzuki@ucsd.edu, Caballero Bendixsen, L. S., Cordaro, S. W., Blesener, I. C., Hoyt, C. L., Cahill, A. D., Kusse, B. R., Hammer, D. A., Gourdain, P. A., Seyler, C. E., Greenly, J. B., Chittenden, J. P., Niasse, N., Lebedev, S. V., and Ampleford, D. J. Investigation of radiative bow-shocks in magnetically accelerated plasma flows. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4921735.
Bott-Suzuki, S. C., E-mail: sbottsuzuki@ucsd.edu, Caballero Bendixsen, L. S., Cordaro, S. W., Blesener, I. C., Hoyt, C. L., Cahill, A. D., Kusse, B. R., Hammer, D. A., Gourdain, P. A., Seyler, C. E., Greenly, J. B., Chittenden, J. P., Niasse, N., Lebedev, S. V., & Ampleford, D. J. Investigation of radiative bow-shocks in magnetically accelerated plasma flows. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4921735
Bott-Suzuki, S. C., E-mail: sbottsuzuki@ucsd.edu, Caballero Bendixsen, L. S., Cordaro, S. W., Blesener, I. C., Hoyt, C. L., Cahill, A. D., Kusse, B. R., Hammer, D. A., Gourdain, P. A., Seyler, C. E., Greenly, J. B., Chittenden, J. P., Niasse, N., Lebedev, S. V., and Ampleford, D. J. 2015. "Investigation of radiative bow-shocks in magnetically accelerated plasma flows". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4921735.
@article{osti_22410326,
title = {Investigation of radiative bow-shocks in magnetically accelerated plasma flows},
author = {Bott-Suzuki, S. C., E-mail: sbottsuzuki@ucsd.edu and Caballero Bendixsen, L. S. and Cordaro, S. W. and Blesener, I. C. and Hoyt, C. L. and Cahill, A. D. and Kusse, B. R. and Hammer, D. A. and Gourdain, P. A. and Seyler, C. E. and Greenly, J. B. and Chittenden, J. P. and Niasse, N. and Lebedev, S. V. and Ampleford, D. J.},
abstractNote = {We present a study of the formation of bow shocks in radiatively cooled plasma flows. This work uses an inverse wire array to provide a quasi-uniform, large scale hydrodynamic flow accelerated by Lorentz forces to supersonic velocities. This flow impacts a stationary object placed in its path, forming a well-defined Mach cone. Interferogram data are used to determine a Mach number of ∼6, which may increase with radial position suggesting a strongly cooling flow. Self-emission imaging shows the formation of a thin (<60 μm) strongly emitting shock region, where T{sub e} ∼ 40–50 eV, and rapid cooling behind the shock. Emission is observed upstream of the shock position which appears consistent with a radiation driven phenomenon. Data are compared to 2-dimensional simulations using the Gorgon MHD code, which show good agreement with the experiments. The simulations are also used to investigate the effect of magnetic field in the target, demonstrating that the bow-shocks have a high plasma β, and the influence of B-field at the shock is small. This consistent with experimental measurement with micro bdot probes.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4921735},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22410326}, journal = {Physics of Plasmas},
issn = {1070-664X},
number = 5,
volume = 22,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri May 15 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Fri May 15 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}