Plasmoids have been generated in a low-powered theta pinch and accelerated into a uniform longitudinal dc magnetic guide field. The guide field was used to guide the plasmoids into a region between two colinear dc mirrors. The motion of the plasmoids was studied by means of detector coils arranged to measure the diamagnetic effect of the plasmoids. It was found that the plasmoids move in the guide field with uniform velocity, are reflected efficiently by properly chosen mirror fields, and are apparently stable for an observed period of 25 μsec. A pulsed gating coil was arranged in one of the dc mirrors so as to weaken the mirror and allow plasmoids to be gated through the mirror by pulsing the gating coil in the correct phase. Attempts to capture plasmoids between the two mirrors resulted in the plasmoids losing their structure after two reflections between the mirrors and then beginning to expand along the guide field lines. Some measurements were made to determine microscopic characteristics of the plasmoids.
SummaryThe electron density distribution in a linear pinch discharge with a transverse rotating magnetic field is calculated for partially ionized plasmas. Numerical examples are given for distributions in the plasma with and without externally applied axial magnetic fields, and with different degrees of ionization.
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