Waves and transport in the pure electron plasma

Abstract

Investigations of low frequency waves and transport in a plasma consisting almost purely of electrons are presented here. This plasma is trapped in a cylindrical system with radial confinement supplied by a strong axial magnetic field and axial confinement supplied by electrostatic fields. Very long containment times are possible. Classical transport due to electron-neutral collisions has been investigated and good agreement with the theory of Douglas and O’Neil is obtained. Externally launched diocotron waves are investigated. The modal frequencies agree well with linear theory, but the damping is governed by nonlinear effects. Experimental scaling laws for the damping rates are given. Measurements of spatial transport due to these modes are also presented. A signature of this process is that the transport is strongly localized spatially.