Plasma Momentum Coupling.
Abstract
Momentum transfer between a high velocity aluminum plasma (2 x 10 to the 7th power cm/sec) and a stationary magnetized air plasma is experimentally investigated to determine if any collisionless processes are operating at high Alfven Mach number. The aluminum plasma expands within a cone (1/20 steradium) into the large volume of air plasma with the variable applied magnetic field transverse to the flow velocity. The plasma streaming is highly collisionless with a small amount of collisional momentum transfer to the background air corresponding to an average collisional cross section for aluminum on air of 2 x 10 to the minus 17th power sq cm for a velocity of 2 x 10 to the 7th power cm/sec. No enhancement above collisional values is observed for Alfven Mach numbers ranging between 12 and 200.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1975
- Accession Number
- ADA020971
Entities
People
- D. A. Reilly
- T. L. Cronburg