Time-Dependent Plasma Behavior Triggered by a Pulsed Electron Gun under Conditions of Beam-Plasma-Discharge.

Abstract

We have conducted a number of experiments intended to simulate spaceborne applications of energetic electron guns while exploring the 'in situ' diagnostics of time-dependent beam-plasma behavior under pulsed electron gun conditions. The conditions include the beam-plasma-discharge (BPD) and the BPD afterglow that exists after gun-pulse termination. With electron gun characteristics set at (I(g), V(g), T(on)/T(off) = (34 ma, 1.9 keV, 80 ms/270 ms) and a superimposed magnetic field at 1.5 gauss, the results show that: (1) There is a three order-of-magnitude increase in plasma density within 5 ms of gun turn-on; (2) During the pulse-ON time a quasi-steady-state BPD is maintained with characteristics identical to dc-BPD conditions; (3) Plasma losses appear to be dominated by Bohm-like diffusion processes; and finally (4) The afterglow can be characterized by an isodensity radial profile that decays with a 36 msec time constant and cools at a 3800 K/sec rate. (Author)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 13, 1981
Accession Number
ADA101952

Entities

People

  • C. S. Lin
  • Edward P. Szuszczewicz

Organizations

  • United States Naval Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Charged Particles
  • Contracts
  • Diffusion
  • Electron Beams
  • Electron Density
  • Electron Guns
  • Electrons
  • Environment
  • Langmuir Probes
  • Magnetic Fields
  • Measurement
  • Military Research
  • Security
  • Simulations
  • Steady State
  • Temperature Gradients

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science / Meteorology, specifically Wind Wave Turbulence.
  • Pulsed Power and Plasma Physics.
  • Thermal Physics or Thermal Science.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics