THE STABILITY OF THE COAXIAL PLASMA GUN.
Abstract
A preliminary theoretical analysis of the stability of a coaxial plasma gun is given. A scaling law is derived for the experimentally observed instability, in which the current which initially flows symmetrically concentrates at one azimuth. The first approach is to find a steady-state hydromagnetic solution and then to perturb it and look for the instability rate. The usual hydromagnetic energy principle for stability is not applicable, since there is a flow velocity in the unperturbed state. No general variational solution of the hydromagnetic equations is known for a flow velocity or electric field in the unperturbed state. Thus, a normal mode analysis is necessary. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1960
- Accession Number
- AD0682138
Entities
People
- T. G. Northrop
Organizations
- General Dynamics