Pulsed Power Considerations for Laser Guided Discharges and Their Applications
Abstract
Laser guided, electric discharges in the atmosphere have been used to create ~1m long, air plasma channels and have enabled experiments to study channel cooling and the interaction of intense relativistic electron beams (REB) with channels in the atmosphere. These discharges require driving potentials >100kV to follow the laser designated path, but only modest stored energy: typically <1000J and -250kV were used. Some applications used two stage discharges wherein a second, lower voltage capacitor bank was discharged into the air plasma channel. The secondary discharges were tailored for each application which included: channel resistance measurements; the generation of an RF plasma antenna; simulation of nuclear explosion induced lightning (NEIL); and studies of relativistic electron beam propagation in current carrying channels. We describe the different systems used to effect these discharges and consider the design of a system necessary to extend the discharge length to ~10m.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1985
- Accession Number
- ADA636136
Entities
People
- Donald P. Murphy
- E. Laikin
- Joseph R. Greig
- Michael Raleigh
- R. E. Pechacek
- S. Hauver
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory