THE DYNAMICS OF A LASER PRODUCED HEAVY ION PLASMA.

Abstract

To investigate the front of a laser produced plasma that is expanding in a homogeneous magnetic field a reliable method of positioning the target, monitoring the laser, and observing the properties of the expanding plasma had to be developed. Photodiodes and supporting circuitry were constructed to observe the laser interaction with the plasma, plasma expansion velocity, and total light emitted from the plasma. A heavy material, copper, was chosen to slow down the processes occurring in the expanding plasma front. The predictions of a computer program of the mathematical analogue to the experiment give expansion velocities of approximately 10 to the 6th power cm/sec and indicate a bouncing of the plasma front off the magnetic field. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1970
Accession Number
AD0710728

Entities

People

  • Lawrence Martin Schadegg

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Analogs
  • Computer Programs
  • Computers
  • Dynamics
  • Magnetic Fields
  • Materials
  • Monitoring
  • Photodiodes

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Optical Physics and Photonics.
  • Plasma Physics / Magnetohydrodynamics
  • Plasma Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy