A STEADY STATE PLASMA FACILITY,
Abstract
A facility is described in which a magnetically confined column of highly ionized argon or helium plasma is produced. The primary plasma is generated in a hollow-cathode arc and diffuses along a magnetic field through a region where neutral particles are preferentially removed. Detailed Langmuir probe measurements were carried out in the argon plasma. Spectroscopic observations have included measurements of absolute continuum intensity, relative intensities of lines emitted by a given species (e.g., HeI, ArII), and ratios of the intensities of lines emitted in successive ionization stages of the same atom. From the probe and spectral measurements the peak electron temperature in argon is found to be 3.0 eV, while the peak electron number density is 5(10 to the 13th power)/cc. The corresponding numbers for helium are 4 eV and (10 to the 14th power)/cc. Relative intensity measurements of HeI and HeII lines appear to be strongly influenced by the influx into the plasma column of background neutral particles whose mean free path is long compared to the diameter of the plasma column. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1968
- Accession Number
- AD0671979
Entities
People
- Stanley L. Leonard
Organizations
- The Aerospace Corporation