Localized measurements during intense relativistic electron beam interaction with a cool theta-pinch plasma

Abstract
A 1‐MeV 40–80‐kA 60‐nsec 40‐cm2 electron beam was injected into a 3‐eV 2×1015‐cm−3‐density plasma. Plasma density and temperature within the beam channel were measured by Thomson scattering, and local time‐dependent magnetic probe measurements were made across a plasma diameter. The observed plasma heating rate was an order of magnitude larger than can be explained on the basis of classical collisional processes.