Temperature Estimates for a Free Flowing Railgun Plasma,
Abstract
In bore spectroscopic observations of a free-flowing plasma for wavelengths between 3000 A and 6250A were made for a series of railgun firings. In this report the experimental arrangement for the series is described and the results are presented. Atomic species present in the plasma are identified from absorption and emission spectra. Calculations of the degree of ionisation of these species are then used to produce a temperature estimate between 11,000 K to 25,000 K for the railgun plasma. A comparison of theoretical values of the plasma electrical conductivity with values obtained from muzzle voltage records indicates that the peak plasma temperature is approximately 11,000 K, which is consistent with estimates obtained from the spectra. Keywords: Railgun accelerations; Electromagnetic launchers; Plasma, Spectra.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1987
- Accession Number
- ADA191929
Entities
People
- Gregory A. Clark
- V. Kowalenko
Organizations
- Defence Science and Technology Group