Free Expansion of an Isolated Plasma Column
- 1 September 1968
- journal article
- research article
- Published by AIP Publishing in Journal of Applied Physics
- Vol. 39 (10) , 4568-4573
- https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1655802
Abstract
An isolated column of plasma is formed by the partial ionization of neutral argon gas with an intense, high‐energy photon beam. The manner in which this plasma expands radially from its initial prescribed position is observed in a region where the plasma has no interaction with confining walls. It is shown that the expansion proceeds initially in accord with the wave equation, having a velocity of propagation u ≈ (γkTe/Mi)1/2, a value predicted theoretically by Shimony and Cahn. The driving force for the plasma expansion comes from the electrons, which are in turn cooled predominately by the adiabatic expansion.This publication has 5 references indexed in Scilit:
- Characteristics of Photoionization Plasma SourceReview of Scientific Instruments, 1967
- Time-Dependent Ambipolar Diffusion WavesPhysics of Fluids, 1965
- Adiabatic Acceleration of Ions by ElectronsPhysics of Fluids, 1962
- Observations on an expanding plasmaJournal of Nuclear Energy. Part C, Plasma Physics, Accelerators, Thermonuclear Research, 1962
- Preliminary Results on Photoelectric Yields of Pt and Ta and on Photoionization in O2 and N2 in the Vacuum UltravioletJournal of Applied Physics, 1953