ACCELERATION OF ELECTRONS OF PLASMA,

Abstract

The acceleration of plasma electrons was studied in toroidal units where the equilibrium of the electron beam in the circular orbit is achieved with image currents arising in the metal housing around the vacuum chamber. The preliminary plasma was developed in a toroidal magnetic field by injecting electrons along the lines of force of this field and ionizing a neutral gas in the chamber. In the first series of experiments it was observed that the overwhelming majority of the plasma electrons are not accelerated after an electric field up to 150 v/cm is developed, while powerful oscillations are excited in the plasma. In the second series, the accelerating electric field was created uniformly and simultaneously along the pinch of preliminary plasma. Comparison of the plasma density with the measurement of currents arising in the plasma indicates that all the plasma electrons are initially accelerated by the electric field. It is postulated that the effects observed may be very important for obtaining large accelerated currents in plasma betatrons. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 12, 1967
Accession Number
AD0668120

Entities

People

  • A. M. Stefanovskii

Organizations

  • National Air and Space Intelligence Center

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Betatrons
  • Chambers
  • Circular Orbits
  • Electric Fields
  • Electron Beams
  • Electrons
  • Magnetic Fields
  • Measurement
  • Orbits
  • Oscillation
  • Vacuum
  • Vacuum Chambers

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

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

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Microelectronics
  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster