Structure and local parameters of self-compressed plasma streams in external magnetic field

Abstract

The influence of the external axial magnetic field on pinching plasma flows generated by a magnetoplasma compressor (MPC) has been studied using magnetic and electric probes. In the presence of an external magnetic field, temperature measurements show two groups of electrons with different temperatures near the plasma stream core. The external magnetic field leads to a noticeable increase in the electric current in the plasma stream, electron temperature, and the formation of the current-sheet-like structure observed in the MPC for the first time.

Keywords

• current sheet
• electric probe
• electron temperature
• drift velocity
• pinching discharge
• plasma accelerators