DIAGNOSTIC STUDIES OF A PINCH PLASMA ACCELERATOR

Abstract

Characteristics of a pinch plasma accelerator were investigated by measuring the total discharge current, capacitor voltage, magnetic field distribution, and light front velocity. The current distribution and J X B force on the plasma were calculated. The results show that a current sheet resulting from the first half-cycle of current propagates along the electrodes, becoming more diffuse with time. It was observed that there are regions in the sheet where the direction of current density shows local reversals. Magnetic probes indicate that the motion of the current sheet turns from an initially radial direction to an axial direction and that the magnetic force on the current sheet is essentially in the direction of plasma motion. The impulse produced by J X B forces in the accelerator was computed and was found to be the principal contribution to the thrust. All of the net energy output of the capacitor bank was transferred to the accelerator in the first 2.4 jusec.