A Phenomenological Study of the Steady-State Current Sheet Speed in a Magnetically Driven Shock Tube

Abstract

The discrepancy between the measured steady-state speed of the current sheet and the theoretically predicted value is examined through a detailed analytical and experimental study of the basic assumptions used in the model. It is found phenomenologicaly that the observed deviation at discharge conditions of low voltage and high pressure could be attributed mainly to the spreading of the current-carrying region in time. The deviation occurring at discharge conditions of high voltage and low pressure could be attributed to the possible presence of an ion drag caused by the interaction between the plasma and the electrode surface.