Magnetic Field Annihilation of Plasmas for Advanced Plasma Engine Design.
Abstract
The ejection of energetic streams of plasma from the sun during solar flares indicates the action of a powerful acceleration process. This mechanism has been explained in terms of the rapid release of magnetic field energy resulting from the collision of streams of plasma carrying oppositely directed magnetic fields. In such a collison the field is annihilated and the corresponding energy is converted to kinetic energy of the ejected plasma. A two-coil pulsed inductive machine has been built at TRW Systems which makes use of this process to accelerate and heat a plasma. In one region of the machine the solar flare process is produced and the energy released by magnetic field annihilation is converted to kinetic energy. The information obtained from experiments in this region of the machine can be applied to the design of a high performance pulsed plasma thruster. In a different region of the device the magnetic field energy is converted to ion heating and compression. The application of the field annihilation mechanism may be useful for controlled thermonuclear fusion. This report describes the two-coil accelerator and reviews the background upon which the experimental investigation is based. Construction of the machine is finished and testing of the control circuitry is proceeding. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 31, 1971
- Accession Number
- AD0721214
Entities
People
- C. L. Dailey
Organizations
- TRW Inc.