PLASMA PROPULSION BY MEANS OF A HELICAL TRANSMISSION LINE
Abstract
Studies of plasma propulsion using a helical transmission line to generate a moving magnetic field were con ucted. The system consists of a conical electrical discharge driver, shock tube, and helical transmission line. The propellant gas is hydrogen at an intitial pressure of 175 microns. The shock tube driver uses a capacitor bank of 8 microfarads at 25 kv and rings at 250 kc/sec. At 10 cm from the ring electrode where the shock nters the tran mission line, the s ock has velocity of 16 cm/microsec which decays to 3 cm/microfarads as it leaves the transmission line 115 cm from the electrode. The helical line has a phase velocity of 11.3 cm/microsec and a capacitance per length of 13.8 microfarads/m. The axial magnetic field is calculate to be 7100 gauss; the radial magnetic field to be 1400 gauss. Results obtained with a rotating mirror streak camera along the axis of the system show that, when the magnetic field is initiated 4-6 icrosec behind t e ionizing shock (30-40 cm in the tube), the shock velocity is maintained at the phase velocity of the transmission line, 11 cm/microsec. Photomultiplier and magnetic field prob s indic te that the luminous shock in he gas travels with the m gnetic field at the phase velocity of the line. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 20, 1962
- Accession Number
- AD0284689
Entities
People
- E.b. Bayfield
- R.x. Neyer