Theory and Simulation of Relaxed Plasmoids.
Abstract
Plasmoids can be described as a group of electrons and ions that propagate as a unit through vacuum. In their present conception they consist of an expanding halo region, carrying return current and bearing a slight charge imbalance, and an equilibrium core region that propagates like a pinched charged particle beam. This model was first suggested by T. Lockner of Sandia. Since they are a type of charged particle beam, they can be generated with higher efficiency and deposit their energy over a deeper distance in matter than laser beams. This makes plasmoids attractive for defense applications; however, the structure, formation, and propagation of plasmoids in a space environment are not known at present. Theory and one-dimensional simulations aimed at finding the core structure of plasmoids by using variational principles have been successful. This report documents the progress made in this first phase of research. A proposed second phase of research will use similar techniques to model the three-dimensional formation and propagation of plasmoids in a space environment.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1987
- Accession Number
- ADA192884
Entities
People
- John Brandenburg
- Karna Wahlstrand