THE DYNAMIC SHIELDING RESPONSE OF AN IRRADIATED PLASMA,

Abstract

An electromagnetic beam is in general attenuated in traversing a slightly-ionized plasma if the plasma frequency, a function of the electron density, is comparable to the frequency of the impressed radiation. A portion of the energy extracted from the beam may cause a local increase in the electron density either through thermal or direct collisional ionization. The altered electron density will in turn affect the beam heating pattern since the absorption coefficient is closely linked to the electron density. This coupling provokes the growth of an electron shield which propagates rapidly towards the radiation source. The shielding response deposits energy progressively upstream and inhibits deep plasma penetration of the beam. A nonlinear one-dimensional model of the Dynamic Shield Response (DSR) is solved analytically assuming the local heating given by the WKB solution of the wave equation. The size, shape and motion of the electron profile is specified as a function of space and time for a variety of plasma models. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 1962
Accession Number
AD0641899

Entities

People

  • J. I. F. King

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Absorption Coefficients
  • Coefficients
  • Electron Density
  • Electrons
  • Equations
  • Frequency
  • Ionizing Radiation
  • Radiation
  • Shielding
  • Wave Equations

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Plasma Physics / Magnetohydrodynamics
  • Pulsed Power and Plasma Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster