Alignment Fixtures For Vacuum-Plasma-Spray Gun

Science.gov (United States)

Woodford, William H.; Mckechnie, Timothy N.; Power, Christopher A.; Daniel, Ronald L., Jr.

1993-01-01

Fixtures for alignment of vacuum-plasma-spray guns built. Each fixture designed to fit specific gun and holds small, battery-powered laser on centerline of gun. Laser beam projects small red dot where centerline intersects surface of workpiece to be sprayed. After laser beam positioned on surface of workpiece, fixture removed from gun and spraying proceeds.

Long pulse, plasma cathode E-gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goebel, D.M.; Schumacher, R.W.; Watkins, R.M.

1993-01-01

A unique, long-pulse E-gun has been developed for high-power tube applications. The Hollow-Cathode-Plasma (HCP) E-gun overcomes the limitations of conventional thermionic-cathode guns that have limited current density (typically ≤ 10 A/cm 2 ) or field-emission guns that offer high current density but suffer from short pulsewidth capability (typically 50 A/cm 2 ), long-pulse operation without gap closure, and also requires no cathode-heater power. The gun employs a low-pressure glow discharge inside a hollow cathode (HC) structure to provide a stable, uniform plasma surface from which a high current-density electron beam can be extracted. The plasma density is controlled by a low-voltage HC discharge pulser to produce the desired electron current density at the first grid of a multi-grid accelerator system. A dc high-voltage electron-beam supply accelerates the electrons across the gap, while the HC pulser modulates the beam current to generate arbitrary pulse waveforms. The electron accelerator utilizes a multi-aperture array that produces a large area, high perveance (>35 μpervs) beam consisting initially of many individual beamlets. The E-beam is normally operated without an applied magnetic field in the ion-focused regime, where the plasma produced by beam ionization of a background gas space-charge neutralizes the beam, and the Bennett self-pinch compresses the beamlets and increases the current density. The self-pinched beam has been observed to propagate over a meter without beam breakup or instabilities. The HCP E-gun has been operated at voltages up to 150 kV, currents up to 750 A, and pulse lengths of up to 120 μsec

Experimental Studies of Electrothermal Plasma Gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diab, F.B.A.

2013-01-01

The aim of the present work is to study the capillary plasma discharge dynamics and characteristics. The capillary plasma device is a new technology for producing high density plasma after ablating the capillary wall using a pulsed electric power. An Electrothermal Plasma Gun (ETG) is composed of a capillary discharge tube made of Teflon operated with simple RLC circuit. The device called Electrothermal Gun (ETG) which is composed of 4 capacitors (70 μF, 10 kV, 1.28 μH) connected in parallel to a plasma source by means of one high power supply. The gun was operated in open air at discharge energies between 35 J - 3.5 kJ according to charging voltage. The work presented in this thesis covers the following items, 1- Measurements of the basic parameters and characterizations of the pretest results of the electrical circuits and capillary plasma discharge using Rogowski coil, voltage probe and Photomultiplier. 2- Material processing including (physics of the surface modifications, the morphology of the surface by using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) at different conditions, compositions of the materials by using X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), Micro hardness test and material particle deposition.

The PLX- α Plasma Guns: Progress and Plans

Science.gov (United States)

Witherspoon, F. D.; Brockington, S.; Case, A.; Cruz, E.; Luna, M.; Thio, Y. C. Francis; LANL PLX-α Team

2017-10-01

The ALPHA coaxial plasma guns are being developed to support a 60-gun scaling study of spherically imploding plasma liners as a standoff driver for plasma-jet-driven magneto-inertial fusion (PJMIF). Seven complete guns have been delivered to LANL with 6 guns currently undergoing simultaneous test firings on PLX. The guns are designed to operate over a range of parameters: 0.5-5.0 mg of Ar, Ne, N2, Kr, and Xe; 20-60 km/s; 2 × 1016 cm-3 muzzle density; and up to 7.5 kJ stored energy per gun. Each coaxial gun incorporates a fast dense gas injection and triggering system, a compact low-weight pfn with integral sparkgap switching, and a contoured coaxial gap to suppress the blow-by instability. Optimizing parameter scans performed at HyperV have achieved : 4 mg at >50 km/s and length of 10 cm. Peak axial density 30 cm from the muzzle is 2 ×1016 cm-3. We will provide an overview of the experimental results, along with plans for further improvements in reliability, maintainability, fabricability, and plasma jet performance, with the latter focused on further improvements in the fast gas valve and the ignitors. This work supported by the ARPA-E ALPHA Program under contract DE-AR0000566 and Strong Atomics, LLC.

Momentum transfer to rotating magnetized plasma from gun plasma injection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shamim, Imran; Hassam, A. B.; Ellis, R. F.; Witherspoon, F. D.; Phillips, M. W.

2006-01-01

Numerical simulations are carried out to investigate the penetration and momentum coupling of a gun-injected plasma slug into a rotating magnetized plasma. An experiment along these lines is envisioned for the Maryland Centrifugal Experiment (MCX) [R. F. Ellis et al., Phys. Plasmas 8, 2057 (2001)] using a coaxial plasma accelerator gun developed by HyperV Technologies Corp. [F. D. Witherspoon et al., Bull. Am. Phys. Soc. 50, LP1 87 (2005)]. The plasma gun would be located in the axial midplane and fired off-axis into the rotating MCX plasma annulus. The numerical simulation is set up so that the initial momentum in the injected plasma slug is of the order of the initial momentum of the target plasma. Several numerical firings are done into the cylindrical rotating plasma. Axial symmetry is assumed. The slug is seen to penetrate readily and deform into a mushroom, characteristic of interchange deformations. It is found that up to 25% of the momentum in the slug can be transferred to the background plasma in one pass across a cylindrical chord. For the same initial momentum, a high-speed low density slug gives more momentum transfer than a low-speed high density slug. Details of the numerical simulations and a scaling study are presented

Study of the hollow cathode plasma electron-gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Yonghui; Jiang Jinsheng; Chang Anbi

2003-01-01

For developing a novel high-current, long pulse width electron source, the theoretics and mechanism of the hollow cathode plasma electron-gun are analyzed in detail in this paper, the structure and the physical process of hollow cathode plasma electron-gun are also studied. This gun overcomes the limitations of most high-power microwave tubes, which employ either thermionic cathodes that produce low current-density beams because of the limitation of the space charge, or field-emission cathodes that offer high current density but provide only short pulse width because of plasma closure of the accelerating gap. In the theories studying on hollow cathode plasma electron-gun, the characteristic of the hollow-cathode discharge is introduced, the action during the forming of plasma of the stimulating electrode and the modulating anode are discussed, the movement of electrons and ions and the primary parameters are analyzed, and the formulas of the electric field, beam current density and the stabilization conditions of the beam current are also presented in this paper. The numerical simulation is carried out based on Poisson's equation, and the equations of current continuity and movement. And the optimized result is reported. On this basis, we have designed a hollow-cathode-plasma electron-gun, whose output pulse current is 2 kA, and pulse width is 1 microsecond

Production of field-reversed plasma with a magnetized coaxial plasma gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turner, W.C.; Granneman, E.H.A.; Hartman, C.W.; Prono, D.S.; Taska, J.; Smith, A.C. Jr.

1981-01-01

Experimental data are presented on the production of field-reversed deuterium plasma by a modified coaxial plasma gun. The coaxial gun is constructed with solenoid coils along the inner and outer electrodes that, together with an external guide field solenoid, form a magnetic cusp at the gun muzzle. The net flux inside the inner electrode is arranged to be opposite the external guide field and is the source of field-reversed flux trapped by the plasma. The electrode length is 145 cm, the diameter of the inner (outer) electrode is 15 cm (32 cm). The gun discharge is driven with a 232-μF 40-kV capacitor bank. Acceleration of plasma through the magnetic cusp at the gun muzzle results in entrainment of field-reversed flux that is detected by magnetic probes 75 cm from the gun muzzle. Field-reversed plasma has been produced for a variety of experimental conditions. In one typical case, the guide magnetic field was B 0 =4.8 kG and the change in axial magnetic field ΔB/sub z/ normalized to B 0 was ΔB/sub z/ /B 0 =-3.1. Total field-reversed flux (poloidal flux) obtained by integrating ΔB/sub z/ profiles is in the range 2 x 10 3 kG cm 2 . Measurement of the orthogonal field component indicates a sizable toroidal field peaked off axis at rapprox. =10 cm with a magnitude of roughly one-half the poloidal field component that is measured on magnetic axis. Reconnection of the poloidal field lines has not been established for the data reported in the paper and will be addressed in future experiments which attempt to trap and confine the field-reversed plasma in a magnetic mirror

Plasma target output from a magnetically augmented, gas-injected, washer-stack plasma gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osher, J.E.

1982-01-01

This article describes a new washer-stack gun design developed for the application of plasma target production for the startup of neutral-beam trapping in a fusion research magnetic confinement system. The gun is a Mo anode type that is D 2 injected and has an auxiliary pulsed magnet for control of plasma-flux mapping. One of the principal features of 2--10-ms duration pulses for gun operation in a suitable magnetic field is the formation of an arc column along magnetic field lines from the gun's central cathode electrode to the vacuum chamber walls (at common anode potential). The primary power output from a 5.0-cm-i.d. gun is typically carried along this arc column by a stream of approximately 2000 A of 50--250-eV electrons. This primary stream of relatively low-density energetic electrons efficiently ionizes the injected gas, forming a quasi-dc source of denser secondary plasma of approx.10 13 /cm 3 at a few eV, which is able to flow or diffuse away along a somewhat larger column of magnetic field lines. In plasma-target production tests on a test stand, a gun operated at a D 2 gas flow of 22 Torr ls -1 yielded 250 A of equivalent plasma flow

Characterization of a dielectric barrier plasma gun discharging at atmospheric pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Guangqiu; Ge Yuanjing; Zhang Yuefei; Chen Guangliang

2004-01-01

The authors develop a plasma gun based on dielectric barrier discharge and working at atmospheric pressure. A theoretical model to predict the gun discharge voltage is built, which is in agreement with the experimental results. After investigating the characterization of discharging gun and utilizing it for polymerization, authors find that the gun can be used as a source to generate a stable uniform plasma for different plasma-processing technologies. (author)

Trapping of gun-injected plasma by a tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leonard, A.W.; Dexter, R.N.; Sprott, J.C.

1986-10-01

It is shown that a plasma produced by a Marshall gun can be injected into and trapped by a tokamak plasma. Gun injection raises the line-averaged density and peaks the density profile. Trapping of the gun-injected plasma is explainable in terms of a depolarization current mechanism. A model is developed which describes the slowing of a plasma beam crossing into the magnetic field of a tokamak. The slowing down time is shown to go as tau/sub s/ ∞ n -1 /sub b/T 3 /sub e/(α 0 /L) 2 , where n/sub b/ and T/sub e/ are the density and temperature of the plasma beam and α 0 /L is the pitch of the field lines per unit length in the direction in which the beam is traveling. Experimental tests of this model are consistent with the scaling predictions

Arc Plasma Gun With Coaxial Powder Feed

Science.gov (United States)

Zaplatynsky, Isidor

1988-01-01

Redesigned plasma gun provides improved metallic and ceramic coatings. Particles injected directly through coaxial bore in cathode into central region of plasma jet. Introduced into hotter and faster region of plasma jet.

Recent development in high energy plasma production techniques by the deflagration plasma gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, D.Y.; Chang, C.N.; Tripathi, P.P.

1983-01-01

This chapter reports experimental data and experience which establish the phenomenon of deflagration in plasma as unique and with quite different properties from the normal snowplow modes. Demonstrates that extremely high velocities and energies in plasma beams are possible with obvious applications in many field and, in particular, in fusion. Suggests that the potential of deflagration beams' scalability to very high energy quasi-neutral plasma beam is possible with present day technology. Discusses plasma deflagration in a T-tube; coaxial deflagration plasma guns; a typical deflagration gun and its operating procedures; electrical design considerations; kinetic theory point of view of the deflagration acceleration of particles; measurements and results; properties of the deflagration gun; applications; inertial confinement experiments; injection into magnetic confinement systems; interaction experiments; and highly energetic beams

Time-dependent plasma behavior triggered by a pulsed electron gun under conditions of beam-plasma-discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szuszczewicz, E.P.; Lin, C.S.

1982-01-01

This chapter reports on experiments whose purpose was to simulate spaceborne applications of energetic electron guns while exploring the ''in situ'' diagnostics of time-dependent beam-plasma behavior under pulsed electron gun conditions. Beam-plasma-discharge (BPD), the BPD afterglow that exists after gun-pulse termination, and the plasma decay process are considered. It is concluded that there is a rapid enhancement in plasma density as the gas turns on; that during the pulse-ON time a quasi-steady-state BPD can be maintained with characteristics identical with its dc counterpart; that in the period immediately following gun-pulse termination the plasma loss process is dominated by cross-field radial diffusion; and that the afterglow plasma is within + or -10% of being an isodensity contour

A novel carbon gun for use with plasma opening switches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stevenson, P.; Gregory, K.; Cliffe, R.J.; Smith, I.R.

2001-01-01

The carbon gun is probably the most common plasma source used in plasma opening switches. Nevertheless, it either produces a contaminated plasma, as the flashover surface erodes, or requires regular treatment with graphite paint. The novel form of the plasma gun described in this paper overcomes the disadvantages of existing designs and produces a cleaner plasma. Experimental results illustrate the performance of a prototype system. (author)

Plasma-filled diode based on the coaxial gun

Science.gov (United States)

Zherlitsyn, A. A.; Kovalchuk, B. M.; Pedin, N. N.

2012-10-01

The paper presents the results of studies of a coaxial gun for a plasma-filled electron diode. Effects of the discharge channel diameter and gun current on characteristics of the plasma and pulse generated in the diode were investigated. The electron beam with maximum energy of ≥1 MeV at the current of ≈100 kA was obtained in the experiments with a plasma-filled diode. The energy of ≈5 kJ with the peak power of ≥100 GW dissipated in the diode.

Plasma-filled diode based on the coaxial gun.

Science.gov (United States)

Zherlitsyn, A A; Kovalchuk, B M; Pedin, N N

2012-10-01

The paper presents the results of studies of a coaxial gun for a plasma-filled electron diode. Effects of the discharge channel diameter and gun current on characteristics of the plasma and pulse generated in the diode were investigated. The electron beam with maximum energy of ≥1 MeV at the current of ≈100 kA was obtained in the experiments with a plasma-filled diode. The energy of ≈5 kJ with the peak power of ≥100 GW dissipated in the diode.

Plasma-filled diode based on the coaxial gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zherlitsyn, A. A.; Kovalchuk, B. M.; Pedin, N. N.

2012-01-01

The paper presents the results of studies of a coaxial gun for a plasma-filled electron diode. Effects of the discharge channel diameter and gun current on characteristics of the plasma and pulse generated in the diode were investigated. The electron beam with maximum energy of ≥1 MeV at the current of ≈100 kA was obtained in the experiments with a plasma-filled diode. The energy of ≈5 kJ with the peak power of ≥100 GW dissipated in the diode.

Beta II plasma-gun mechanical design and construction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pedrotti, L.; Deis, G.; Wong, R.; Calderon, M.; Chargin, A.; Garner, D.

1979-01-01

The magnetized coaxial plasma gun (located on the east end of the Beta II facility at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory) will be used to test a new method of initiating a field reversed mirror plasma. The field-reversed mirror is expected to improve the mirror-fusion reactor by enhancing the ratio of fusion power to injected power. This paper concentrates on the mechanical design and construction of the magnetized coaxial plasma gun and also discusses the diagnostic devices necessary to demonstrate the formation of field-reversed rings

Low-energy plasma-cathode electron gun with a perforated emission electrode

Science.gov (United States)

Burdovitsin, Victor; Kazakov, Andrey; Medovnik, Alexander; Oks, Efim; Tyunkov, Andrey

2017-11-01

We describe research of influence of the geometric parameters of perforated electrode on emission parameters of a plasma cathode electron gun generating continuous electron beams at gas pressure 5-6 Pa. It is shown, that the emission current increases with increasing the hole diameters and decreasing the thickness of the perforated emission electrode. Plasma-cathode gun with perforated electron can provide electron extraction with an efficiency of up to 72 %. It is shown, that the current-voltage characteristic of the electron gun with a perforated emission electrode differs from that of similar guns with fine mesh grid electrode. The plasma-cathode electron gun with perforated emission electrode is used for electron beam welding and sintering.

Plasma-filled diode based on the coaxial gun

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zherlitsyn, A. A.; Kovalchuk, B. M.; Pedin, N. N. [Institute of High Current Electronics, 2/3 Academichesky Avenue, 634055 Tomsk (Russian Federation)

2012-10-15

The paper presents the results of studies of a coaxial gun for a plasma-filled electron diode. Effects of the discharge channel diameter and gun current on characteristics of the plasma and pulse generated in the diode were investigated. The electron beam with maximum energy of {>=}1 MeV at the current of Almost-Equal-To 100 kA was obtained in the experiments with a plasma-filled diode. The energy of Almost-Equal-To 5 kJ with the peak power of {>=}100 GW dissipated in the diode.

Electrical properties of a co-axial plasma gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allam, T.M.Y.

1997-01-01

The main interest of this work is to study the power discharge of capacitor bank through a coaxial electrodes system. Such arrangement is called the coaxial gun or coaxial accelerator. It is used in jet propulsion and in triggering of discharge in turbo engines or in plasma combustion arrangement. The main goal is to find out the efficiency of the system in both cases. coaxial plasma gun system has been constructed for this course of study. The plasma gun system consists of the plasma gun tube and the discharge chamber, the capacitor bank, the triggering system the vacuum system, the power supply, and safety and dumping system. Simple and efficient diagnostic techniques were used to measure the different parameters concerning the coaxial discharge system such as the Rogowski loop, the voltage divider, the magnetic probes, the double electric probe. Results were obtained using argon gas with an operating pressure ranging from 0.1 torr to 1 torr. The peak discharge current in the first half cycle was 44 K A with rise time of 6.25 μs for a bank charging voltage of 10 kv and gas pressure of 0.9 torr. 4-26 figs., 4-8 tabs., 33 refs

Coaxial Plasma Gun Development for the ARPA-E PLX- α Project

Science.gov (United States)

Witherspoon, F. Douglas; Case, Andrew; Brockington, Samuel

2015-11-01

We describe the renewed effort to design and build coaxial plasma guns appropriate for a scaling study of spherically imploding plasma liners as a standoff magneto-inertial-fusion driver under the ARPA-E Accelerating Low-Cost Plasma Heating And Assembly (ALPHA) program. HyperV joins LANL, UAH, UNM, BNL, and Tech-X to develop, build, operate and analyze a 60 plasma gun experiment using the existing PLX facility at LANL. The guns will be designed to operate over a scaling range of operating parameters: 0.5-5.0 mg of Ar, Ne, N2, Kr, and Xe; 20-60 km/s; 1016 -1017 cm-3 muzzle density; and up to 7.5 kJ stored energy per gun. Each gun is planned to incorporate contoured gaps, fast dense gas injection and triggering, and innovative integral sparkgap switching and pfn configurations to reduce inductance, cost, and complexity, and to increase efficiency and system reliability. We will describe the overall design approach for the guns and pulsed power systems. This work supported by the ARPA-E ALPHA Program.

The breakdown phase in a coaxial plasma gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Donges, A.; Herziger, G.; Krompholz, H.; Ruehl, F.; Schoenbach, K.

1980-01-01

The electrical breakdown in a coaxial plasma gun was investigated by means of optical and electrical measurements. The optimum start and operation conditions of the gun turned out to be strongly dependent on material and length of the cylindrical insulator. (orig.)

High density plasma gun generates plasmas at 190 kilometers per second

Science.gov (United States)

Espy, P. N.

1971-01-01

Gun has thin metal foil disc which positions or localizes gas to be ionized during electrical discharge cycle, overcoming major limiting factor in obtaining such plasmas. Expanding plasma front travels at 190 km/sec, compared to plasmas of 50 to 60 km/sec previously achieved.

Plasma gun with coaxial powder feed and adjustable cathode

Science.gov (United States)

Zaplatynsky, Isidor (Inventor)

1991-01-01

An improved plasma gun coaxially injects particles of ceramic materials having high melting temperatures into the central portion of a plasma jet. This results in a more uniform and higher temperature and velocity distribution of the sprayed particles. The position of the cathode is adjustable to facilitate optimization of the performance of the gun wherein grains of the ceramic material are melted at lower power input levels.

Spectral diagnostic of plasma in the coaxial gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bacilek, J.; Hruska, J.; Kubes, P.

1975-01-01

Plasma ejected from a coaxial plasma gun was investigated spectroscopically. The coaxial gun consisted of two copper coaxial electrodes 57 and 100 mm in diameter, the length of the central electrode being 67 mm. The gun was fed by a 11 μF capacitor bank of 16 kV operating voltage. Hydrogen, helium and air were used as working gases. The emission spectra were recorded with spectrograph ISP-51 and with a monochromator-photomultiplier system. The plasma density reached its maximum of 4x10 15 cm -3 with the ejecting voltage applied some 20 to 30 μs after the gas injection. At this moment also the spectral lines of electrode material were most intensive. The electron temperature calculated from the presence of spectral lines of OII, CII and NII was about 2 eV. The velocity of fast hydrogen ions was 4x10 7 cmsec -1 calculated from the Hsub(β) line. (J.U.)

A contoured gap coaxial plasma gun with injected plasma armature.

Science.gov (United States)

Witherspoon, F Douglas; Case, Andrew; Messer, Sarah J; Bomgardner, Richard; Phillips, Michael W; Brockington, Samuel; Elton, Raymond

2009-08-01

A new coaxial plasma gun is described. The long term objective is to accelerate 100-200 microg of plasma with density above 10(17) cm(-3) to greater than 200 km/s with a Mach number above 10. Such high velocity dense plasma jets have a number of potential fusion applications, including plasma refueling, magnetized target fusion, injection of angular momentum into centrifugally confined mirrors, high energy density plasmas, and others. The approach uses symmetric injection of high density plasma into a coaxial electromagnetic accelerator having an annular gap geometry tailored to prevent formation of the blow-by instability. The injected plasma is generated by numerous (currently 32) radially oriented capillary discharges arranged uniformly around the circumference of the angled annular injection region of the accelerator. Magnetohydrodynamic modeling identified electrode profiles that can achieve the desired plasma jet parameters. The experimental hardware is described along with initial experimental results in which approximately 200 microg has been accelerated to 100 km/s in a half-scale prototype gun. Initial observations of 64 merging injector jets in a planar cylindrical testing array are presented. Density and velocity are presently limited by available peak current and injection sources. Steps to increase both the drive current and the injected plasma mass are described for next generation experiments.

A contoured gap coaxial plasma gun with injected plasma armature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Witherspoon, F. Douglas; Case, Andrew; Messer, Sarah J.; Bomgardner, Richard II; Phillips, Michael W.; Brockington, Samuel; Elton, Raymond

2009-01-01

A new coaxial plasma gun is described. The long term objective is to accelerate 100-200 μg of plasma with density above 10 17 cm -3 to greater than 200 km/s with a Mach number above 10. Such high velocity dense plasma jets have a number of potential fusion applications, including plasma refueling, magnetized target fusion, injection of angular momentum into centrifugally confined mirrors, high energy density plasmas, and others. The approach uses symmetric injection of high density plasma into a coaxial electromagnetic accelerator having an annular gap geometry tailored to prevent formation of the blow-by instability. The injected plasma is generated by numerous (currently 32) radially oriented capillary discharges arranged uniformly around the circumference of the angled annular injection region of the accelerator. Magnetohydrodynamic modeling identified electrode profiles that can achieve the desired plasma jet parameters. The experimental hardware is described along with initial experimental results in which approximately 200 μg has been accelerated to 100 km/s in a half-scale prototype gun. Initial observations of 64 merging injector jets in a planar cylindrical testing array are presented. Density and velocity are presently limited by available peak current and injection sources. Steps to increase both the drive current and the injected plasma mass are described for next generation experiments.

Plasma wave observations during electron and ion gun experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olsen, R.C.; Lowery, D.R.; Weddle, L.E.

1988-01-01

Plasma wave instruments with high temporal and frequency resolution in the 0-6 kHz frequency range have been used to monitor electron gun-employing charge control experiments with the USAF/NASA p78-2 satellite, in order to determine whether plasma wave signatures consistent with the previous inference of electron heating were present. Strong plasma waves were noted near the electron gyrofrequency; these waves can heat ambient low energy electrons, as previously inferred. Attention is given to the two distinct classes of behavior revealed by the ion gun experiments. 16 references

A handheld low temperature atmospheric pressure air plasma gun for nanomaterial synthesis in liquid phase

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, Shuang; Wang, Kaile; Zuo, Shasha; Liu, Jiahui [Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Zhang, Jue, E-mail: zhangjue@pku.edu.cn; Fang, Jing [Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China)

2015-10-15

A handheld low temperature atmospheric pressure air plasma gun based on a dielectric barrier structure with hollow electrodes was proposed. The portable plasma gun with an embedded mini air pump was driven by a 12 V direct voltage battery. The air plasma jet generated from the gun could be touched without a common shock hazard. Besides working in air, the plasma gun can also work in water. The diagnostic result of optical emission spectroscopy showed the difference in reactive species of air plasma jet between in air and in water. The plasma gun was excited in 20 ml chloroauric acid aqueous solution with a concentration of 1.214 mM. A significant amount of gold nanoparticles were synthesized after 2 min continuous discharge. The plasma gun with these unique features is applicable in plasma medicine, etching, and s-nthesis of nanomaterials.

Production of field-reversed mirror plasma with a coaxial plasma gun

Science.gov (United States)

Hartman, C.W.; Shearer, J.W.

The use of a coaxial plasma gun to produce a plasma ring which is directed into a magnetic field so as to form a field-reversed plasma confined in a magnetic mirror. Plasma thus produced may be used as a target for subsequent neutral beam injection or other similarly produced and projected plasma rings or for direct fusion energy release in a pulsed mode.

Production of field-reversed mirror plasma with a coaxial plasma gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hartman, C.W.; Shearer, J.W.

1982-01-01

The use of a coaxial plasma gun to produce a plasma ring which is directed into a magnetic field so as to form a field-reversed plasma confined in a magnetic mirror. Plasma thus produced may be used as a target for subsequent neutral beam injection or other similarly produced and projected plasma rings or for direct fusion energy release in a pulsed mode

Trapping of gun-injected plasma by a tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leonard, A.W.; Dexter, R.N.; Sprott, J.C.

1987-01-01

It has been seen that a plasma produced by a Marshall gun can be injected into and trapped by a tokamak plasma. This trapping of a gun-injected plasma is explained in terms of a depolarization current mechanism. A model is developed that describes the slowing of a plasma beam crossing into the magnetic field of a tokamak. The slowing down time is shown to go as tau/sub s/proportionalT/sup 3/2//sub e/L 2 /n/sub b/α 2 0 , where n/sub b/ and T/sub e/ are the density and temperature of the plasma beam and α 0 /L is the pitch of the field lines per unit length in the direction in which the beam is traveling. Experimental tests of this model are consistent with the scaling predictions

Coaxial plasma guns as injectors of high beta linear theta pinches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marshall, J.

1975-01-01

A brief review of research on coaxial plasma guns and their use is given. Some problems and possibilities of using this gun for beam injection experiments are pointed out. Some scaling laws for gun energy are described

The Influence of the Axial Magnetic Field Upon-the Coaxial Plasma Gun Parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Aragi, G.M.; EL-Demrdash, A.

2001-01-01

This study concerns with the influence of an applied axial magnetic field upon the electrical parameters of a coaxial plasma gun device. The experimental results are investigated with 0.5 KJ plasma gun device operated with argon gas at a pressure of 3.5 Torr. An axial time independent magnetic field with intensity of 550 G is introduced along the plasma current sheath axial region, within the annular space between the two coaxial electrodes. From the measurements of the discharge current I(t) and the voltage V(t), the electrical discharge parameters of the plasma gun device and the plasma current sheath implosion velocity are estimated, in normal mode of plasma gun operation and in the mode of presence external axial magnetic field. A comparison between these two modes is studied

Design and experiment of high-current low-pressure plasma-cathode e-gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie Wenkai; Li Xiaoyun; Wang Bin; Meng Lin; Yan Yang; Gao Xinyan

2006-01-01

The preliminary design of a new high-power low pressure plasma-cathode e-gun is presented. Based on the hollow cathode effect and low-pressure glow discharge empirical formulas, the hollow cathode, the accelerating gap, and the working gas pressure region are given. The general experimental device of the low-pressure plasma cathode electron-gun generating high current density e-beam source is shown. Experiments has been done in continuous filled-in gases and gases-puff condition, and the discharging current of 150-200 A, the width of 60 μs and the collector current of 30-80 A, the width of 60 μs are obtained. The results show that the new plasma cathode e-gun can take the place of material cathode e-gun, especially in plasma filled microwave tubes. (authors)

A contoured gap coaxial plasma gun with injected plasma armature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Witherspoon, F. Douglas; Case, Andrew; Messer, Sarah J.; Bomgardner, Richard II; Phillips, Michael W.; Brockington, Samuel; Elton, Raymond [HyperV Technologies Corp., Chantilly, Virginia 20151 (United States)

2009-08-15

A new coaxial plasma gun is described. The long term objective is to accelerate 100-200 {mu}g of plasma with density above 10{sup 17} cm{sup -3} to greater than 200 km/s with a Mach number above 10. Such high velocity dense plasma jets have a number of potential fusion applications, including plasma refueling, magnetized target fusion, injection of angular momentum into centrifugally confined mirrors, high energy density plasmas, and others. The approach uses symmetric injection of high density plasma into a coaxial electromagnetic accelerator having an annular gap geometry tailored to prevent formation of the blow-by instability. The injected plasma is generated by numerous (currently 32) radially oriented capillary discharges arranged uniformly around the circumference of the angled annular injection region of the accelerator. Magnetohydrodynamic modeling identified electrode profiles that can achieve the desired plasma jet parameters. The experimental hardware is described along with initial experimental results in which approximately 200 {mu}g has been accelerated to 100 km/s in a half-scale prototype gun. Initial observations of 64 merging injector jets in a planar cylindrical testing array are presented. Density and velocity are presently limited by available peak current and injection sources. Steps to increase both the drive current and the injected plasma mass are described for next generation experiments.

Magnetized Target Fusion Propulsion: Plasma Injectors for MTF Guns

Science.gov (United States)

Griffin, Steven T.

2003-01-01

To achieve increased payload size and decreased trip time for interplanetary travel, a low mass, high specific impulse, high thrust propulsion system is required. This suggests the need for research into fusion as a source of power and high temperature plasma. The plasma would be deflected by magnetic fields to provide thrust. Magnetized Target Fusion (MTF) research consists of several related investigations into these topics. These include the orientation and timing of the plasma guns and the convergence and interface development of the "pusher" plasma. Computer simulations of the gun as it relates to plasma initiation and repeatability are under investigation. One of the items under development is the plasma injector. This is a surface breakdown driven plasma generator designed to function at very low pressures. The performance, operating conditions and limitations of these injectors need to be determined.

Macroparticle acceleration from a modified mather-type plasma gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hou, W.S.; Yeh, T.R.; Wen, M.; Yeh, C.K.; Shang, D.J.

1987-01-01

The use of electromagnetic force to accelerate projectiles of a few grams in a plasma-driven railgun device was described recently. Since then, subsequent research along this development has been exploited at many laboratories. As part of the plasma focus research project, an effort of modified Mather-type plasma gun has also been constructed at the Institute of Nuclear Energy Research (INER) for impact studies. The idea takes the advantage of accelerating plasmas with JxB force toward the muzzle of the gun and then strikes the projecticle to transfer their kinetic energy. Preliminary results indicate that the projecticle velocity of 1.1 km/sec can be achieved routinely with a 1.2-gram stainless steel projectile

Characterization of cable gun plasma with a charge collector array

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Yulan; Zeng Zhengzhong; Sun Fengju; Kuai Bin; Qiu Aici; Yin Jiahui; Cong Peitian; Liang Tianxue

2003-01-01

The density, drift velocity and reproducibility of the plasma produced by a cable plasma gun array have been measured with a charge collector array. The plasma is used to prefill a coaxial plasma-opening switch with a conducting time approaching 0.4 μs. The reproducibility of the plasma source in subsequent shots is better than 5%. Near the gun nozzle and the opposite electrode, the plasma density amounts to 10 15 cm -3 , which is 2 times to 3 times that in the gap between the two coaxial electrodes. A plasma drift velocity of about 2.4 cm/μs is observed from the time of flight of the charged particles. Both plasma density and drift velocity increase almost linearly with the rise in charge voltage

Formation of a compact torus using a toroidal plasma gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Levine, M.A.; Pincosy, P.A.

1981-01-01

Myers, Levine and Pincosy earlier reported results using a toroidal plasma gun. The device differs from the usual coaxial plasma gun in the use of a strong toroidal bias current for enhanced efficiency, a pair of disk-like accelerating electrodes for reduced viscosity and a fast pulsed toroidal gas valve for more effective use of the injected gas sample. In addition, a technique is used for generating a toroidal current in the plasma ring. The combination offers an opportunity to deliver a plasma with a large amount of energy and to vary the density and relative toroidal and poloidal magnetic field intensities over a range of values. It is the purpose of this paper to report further experimental results, to project the gun's applications to the formation of a compact torus, and to propose a simple modification of the present apparatus as a test

Reconnection conditions for a coaxial plasma gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berk, H.L.; Hammer, J.H.; Shearer, J.W.

1982-01-01

A fluid model for the flow conditions necessary to form a compact torus from the plasma ejected by a coaxial plasma gun is developed. This is done by finding the conditions for which the steady-flow equations break down. Results are found for two cases; variable external flux and variable outer-wall radius

Preventing Clogging In A Vacuum Plasma Spray Gun

Science.gov (United States)

Krotz, Phillip D.; Daniel, Ronald L., Jr.; Davis, William M.

1994-01-01

Modification of powder-injection ports enables lengthy, high-temperature deposition operations. Graphite inserts prevent clogging of ports through which copper powder injected into vacuum plasma spray (VPS) gun. Graphite liners eliminate need to spend production time refurbishing VPS gun, reducing cost of production and increasing productivity. Concept also applied to other material systems used for net-shape fabrication via VPS.

Some experimental results of plasma cumulation in a rod plasma gun obtained by means of laser interferometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Appelt, J.; Kurzyna, J.

1980-01-01

Some experimental studies of the plasma gun with ''particle transparent'' electrodes are described. In order to ascertain whether a plasma cumulation occurred the laser interferometry and soft X-ray measurements have been applied. The filament shaped plasma formation was observed with densities of the order of 10 18 cm -3 . A strong correlation between the occurrence of a dense plasma and the voltage peak at the gun electrodes was established. (author)

Understanding plasma spraying process and characteristics of DC-arc plasma gun (PJ-100

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jovana Ružić

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The thermal spray processes are a group of coating processes used to apply metallic or non-metallic coatings. In these processes energy sources are used to heat the coating material (in the form of powder, wire, or rod form to a molten or semi-molten state and accelerated towards a prepared surface by either carrier gases or atomization jets. In plasma spraying process, the spraying material is generally in the form of powder and requires a carrier gas to feed the powder into the plasma jet, which is passing between the hot cathode and the cylindrical nozzle-shaped anode. The design of DC plasma gun (PJ - 100 is designed and manufactured in Serbia. Plasma spaying process, the powder injection with the heat, momentum and mass transfers between particles and plasma jet, and the latest developments related to the production of DC plasma gun are described in this article.

Injection of a coaxial-gun-produced magnetized plasma into a background helicon plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yue; Lynn, Alan; Gilmore, Mark; Hsu, Scott

2014-10-01

A compact coaxial plasma gun is employed for experimental investigation of plasma bubble relaxation into a lower density background plasma. Experiments are being conducted in the linear device HelCat at UNM. The gun is powered by a 120-uF ignitron-switched capacitor bank, which is operated in a range of 5 to 10 kV and 100 kA. Multiple diagnostics are employed to investigate the plasma relaxation process. Magnetized argon plasma bubbles with velocities 1.2Cs, densities 1020 m-3 and electron temperature 13eV have been achieved. The background helicon plasma has density 1013 m-3, magnetic field from 200 to 500 Gauss and electron temperature 1eV. Several distinct operational regimes with qualitatively different dynamics are identified by fast CCD camera images. Additionally a B-dot probe array has been employed to measure the spatial toroidal and poloidal magnetic flux evolution to identify plasma bubble configurations. Experimental data and analysis will be presented.

Characterisation of plasma in a rail gun

Science.gov (United States)

Ray, P. K.

1986-01-01

The mechanism of plasma and projectile acceleration in a DC rail gun is described from a microscopic point of view through the establishment of the Hall field. The plasma conductivity is shown to be a tensor, indicating that there is a small component of current parallel to the direction of acceleration. The plasma characteristics are evaluated in the experiment of Bauer et. al., as a function of plasma mass through a simple fluid mechanical analysis of the plasma. By equating the energy dissipatated in the plasma with the radiation heat loss, the properties of the plasma are determined.

Electrothermal plasma gun as a pellet injector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kincaid, R.W.; Bourham, M.A.

1994-01-01

The NCSU electrothermal plasma gun SIRENS has been used to accelerate plastic (Lexan polycarbonate) pellets, to determine the feasibility of the use of electrothermal guns as pellet injectors. The use of an electrothermal gun to inject frozen hydrogenic pellets requires a mechanism to provide protective shells (sabots) for shielding the pellet from ablation during acceleration into and through the barrel of the gun. The gun has been modified to accommodate acceleration of the plastic pellets using special acceleration barrels equipped with diagnostics for velocity and position of the pellet, and targets to absorb the pellet's energy on impact. The length of the acceleration path could be varied between 15 and 45 cm. The discharge energy of the electrothermal gun ranged from 2 to 6 kJ. The pellet velocities have been measured via a set of break wires. Pellet masses were varied between 0.5 and 1.0 grams. Preliminary results on 0.5 and 1.0 g pellets show that the exit velocity reaches 0.9 km/s at 6 kJ input energy to the source. Higher velocities of 1.5 and 2.7 km/s have been achieved using 0.5 and 1.0 gm pellets in 30 cm long barrel, without cleaning the barrel between the shots

A steady-state fluid model of the coaxial plasma gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herziger, G.; Krompholz, H.; Schneider, W.; Schoenbach, K.

1979-01-01

The plasma layer in a coaxial plasma gun is considered as a shock front driven by expanding magnetic fields. Analytical steady-state solutions of the fluid equations yield the plasma properties, allowing the scaling of plasma focus devices. (Auth.)

Characterization of pulsed atmospheric-pressure plasma streams (PAPS) generated by a plasma gun

Science.gov (United States)

Robert, E.; Sarron, V.; Riès, D.; Dozias, S.; Vandamme, M.; Pouvesle, J.-M.

2012-06-01

An experimental study of atmospheric-pressure rare gas plasma propagation in a high-aspect-ratio capillary is reported. The plasma is generated with a plasma gun device based on a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor powered by either nanosecond or microsecond rise-time high-voltage pulses at single-shot to multi-kHz frequencies. The influence of the voltage waveform, pulse polarity, pulse repetition rate and capillary material have been studied using nanosecond intensified charge-coupled device imaging and plasma-front velocity measurements. The evolution of the plasma appearance during its propagation and the study of the role of the different experimental parameters lead us to suggest a new denomination of pulsed atmospheric-pressure plasma streams to describe all the plasma features, including the previously so-called plasma bullet. The unique properties of such non-thermal plasma launching in capillaries, far from the primary DBD plasma, are associated with a fast ionization wave travelling with velocity in the 107-108 cm s-1 range. Voltage pulse tailoring is shown to allow for a significant improvement of such plasma delivery. Thus, the plasma gun device affords unique opportunities in biomedical endoscopic applications.

Characterization of pulsed atmospheric-pressure plasma streams (PAPS) generated by a plasma gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robert, E; Sarron, V; Riès, D; Dozias, S; Vandamme, M; Pouvesle, J-M

2012-01-01

An experimental study of atmospheric-pressure rare gas plasma propagation in a high-aspect-ratio capillary is reported. The plasma is generated with a plasma gun device based on a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor powered by either nanosecond or microsecond rise-time high-voltage pulses at single-shot to multi-kHz frequencies. The influence of the voltage waveform, pulse polarity, pulse repetition rate and capillary material have been studied using nanosecond intensified charge-coupled device imaging and plasma-front velocity measurements. The evolution of the plasma appearance during its propagation and the study of the role of the different experimental parameters lead us to suggest a new denomination of pulsed atmospheric-pressure plasma streams to describe all the plasma features, including the previously so-called plasma bullet. The unique properties of such non-thermal plasma launching in capillaries, far from the primary DBD plasma, are associated with a fast ionization wave travelling with velocity in the 10 7 –10 8 cm s −1 range. Voltage pulse tailoring is shown to allow for a significant improvement of such plasma delivery. Thus, the plasma gun device affords unique opportunities in biomedical endoscopic applications. (paper)

New approach to controlling impurity contamination of a plasma-gun-produced compact torus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Post, R.F.; Turner, W.C.

1982-01-01

The presence of impurity ions, notably carbon and oxygen, has been determined to be a major factor limiting the lifetime of field-reversed plasma entities produced by coaxial plasma guns such as the Beta II gun at LLNL. Similar problems are encountered in other toroidal plasmas, e.g. those in tokamaks. However, the solution employed there, discharge cleaning, followed by initiation of the plasma at low density (where impurity radiation losses are exceeded by ohmic heating rates) is not applicable here. This note discusses a proposed means for drastically reducing the level of impurities. (These are believed to be evolved from the gun electrode surfaces as a result of thermal shock associated with UV emission from the gun plasma). The idea: take advantage of the UV pulse preferentially to release hydrogen from the electrode surfaces. These surfaces are to be coated with a few-micron-thick layer of titanium, outgassed by preheating and subsequently loaded with hydrogen

Studies of the formation of field reversed plasma by a magnetized co-axial plasma gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turner, W.C.; Granneman, E.H.A.; Hartman, C.W.; Prono, D.S.; Taska, J.; Smith, A.C. Jr.

1980-01-01

The gun injects axially into a drift tank followed by a magnetic mirror. For the experiments reported here, only the guide coils outside the vacuum vessel and solenoids on the plasma gun electrodes were used; the mirror coil was not energized. A stainless steel flux conserver is placed in the mirror throat to prevent the plasma from contacting the nonconducting vacuum wall in the region of the mirror. An axis encircling array of magnetic loop probes includes four diamagnetic loops and a loop which measures the azimuthally averaged outward pointing radial component of magnetic field. These loop probes are stainless steel jacketed and form a flux conserving boundary (at a radius = 30 cm) for plasma emitted from the gun. A five tip probe that can be positioned anywhere along the axis of the experiment is used to measure internal components of magnetic field

Experimental investigation of plasma relaxation using a compact coaxial magnetized plasma gun in a background plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yue; Lynn, Alan; Gilmore, Mark; Hsu, Scott; University of New Mexico Collaboration; Los Alamos National Laboratory Collaboration

2013-10-01

A compact coaxial plasma gun is employed for experimental studies of plasma relaxation in a low density background plasma. Experiments are being conducted in the linear HelCat device at UNM. These studies will advance the knowledge of basic plasma physics in the areas of magnetic relaxation and space and astrophysical plasmas, including the evolution of active galactic jets/radio lobes within the intergalactic medium. The gun is powered by a 120pF ignitron-switched capacitor bank which is operated in a range of 5-10 kV and ~100 kA. Multiple diagnostics are employed to investigate plasma relaxation process. Magnetized Argon plasma bubbles with velocities ~1.2Cs and densities ~1020 m-3 have been achieved. Different distinct regimes of operation with qualitatively different dynamics are identified by fast CCD camera images, with the parameter determining the operation regime. Additionally, a B-dot probe array is employed to measure the spatial toroidal and poloidal magnetic flux evolution to identify detached plasma bubble configurations. Experimental data and analysis will be presented.

Results from AFWL 230 kJ coaxial plasma gun experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hall, D.J.; Baker, W.L.; Beason, J.D.; Clouse, C.J.; Degnan, J.H.; Dietz, D.; Hackett, K.E.; Higgins, P.L.; Holmes, J.L.; Price, D.W.

1988-01-01

A coaxial plasma gun has been operated on the AFWL 0.5 MJ capacitor bank. A Marshall valve actuated by an explosive detonator is used to puff hydrogen gas from a small high pressure plenum into the breech of the gun. After a set delay from the explosion the capacitor bank is discharged across the electrodes of the coaxial gun. The operating mode of the gun can be changed by varying the plenum pressure and the firing delay. Over 150 shots have been fired, varying delay, plenum pressure, and initial stored energy. Initial plenum pressures were varied from 250 to 750 psi, and firing delays ranged from 0.8 msec to 2.2 msec. Experiments were conducted at 90, 176, and 230 kJ of initial stored energy (50, 70, adn 80 kV charge). Rogowski coils were used to measure current and magnetic field within the plasma at 25 axial locations along the gun. The coils were installed in grooves on the inner surface of the outer conductor. Signals from the coils were passively integrated. Integrator time constants ranged from 95 to 114 μsec. Time histories of magnetic field profiles are presented. These are used to describe the operating mode of the gun

Numerical modeling of deflagration mode in coaxial plasma guns

Science.gov (United States)

Sitaraman, Hariswaran; Raja, Laxminarayan

2012-10-01

Pulsed coaxial plasma guns have been used in several applications in the field of space propulsion, nuclear fusion and materials processing. These devices operate in two modes based on the delay between gas injection and breakdown initiation. Larger delay led to the plasma detonation mode where a compression wave in the form of a luminous front propagates from the breech to the muzzle. Shorter delay led to the more efficient deflagration mode characterized by a relatively diffuse plasma with higher resistivity. The overall physics of the discharge in the two modes of operation and in particular the latter remain relatively unexplored. Here we perform a computational modeling study by solving the non-ideal Magneto-hydrodynamics equations for the quasi-neutral plasma in the coaxial plasma gun. A finite volume formulation on an unstructured mesh framework with an implicit scheme is used to do stable computations. The final work will present details of important species in the plasma, particle energies and Mach number at the muzzle. A comparison of the plasma parameters will be made with the experiments reported in ref. [1]. [4pt] [1] F. R. Poehlmann et al., Phys. Plasmas 17, 123508 (2010)

Electrical model of cold atmospheric plasma gun

Science.gov (United States)

Slutsker, Ya. Z.; Semenov, V. E.; Krasik, Ya. E.; Ryzhkov, M. A.; Felsteiner, J.; Binenbaum, Y.; Gil, Z.; Shtrichman, R.; Cohen, J. T.

2017-10-01

We present an analytical model of cold atmospheric plasma formed by a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD), which is based on the lumped and distributed elements of an equivalent electric circuit of this plasma. This model is applicable for a wide range of frequencies and amplitudes of the applied voltage pulses, no matter whether or not the generated plasma plume interacts with a target. The model allows quantitative estimation of the plasma plume length and the energy delivered to the plasma. Also, the results of this model can be used for the design of DBD guns which efficiently generate cold atmospheric plasma. A comparison of the results of the model with those obtained in experiments shows a fairly good agreement.

The electrical Discharge Characteristics of the 3.5 KJ Electrothermal Plasma Gun Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diab, F.; El-Aragi, G.M.; El-Kashef, G.M.; Saudy, A.H.

2013-01-01

In order to better understand the operating characteristics of an electrothermal plasma gun and its design, a variety of operation characteristics including ( the length of the capillary, applied voltage, diameter of the capillary tube, circuit inductance) were investigated to determine performance effects and viability in a real system. An Electrothermal Plasma Gun (ETG) is composed of a capillary discharge tube made of Teflon operated with simple RLC circuit. The device called Electrothermal Gun (ETG) which is composed of 4 capacitors (70 μF, 10 kV, 1.3 μH) connected in parallel to a plasma source by means of one high power plane transmission line by mean of a switch triggered by negative pulse 360/385 V. For the present studies a simple RLC was chosen, which allowed the circuit parameters to be easily measure d. The electrothermal discharge characteristics of the plasma gun operated in open air, So that at atmospheric pressure the main parameters were measured. The gun voltage and discharge current are measured with voltage divider and Rogowiski coil respectively. From the results recorded we found that, the current lagged the voltage i-e the plasma source has an inductive reactivity. Moreover, the current value was changed by changing the circuit parameters, including the discharge voltage and circuit inductance, and the wire properties such as the length and diameter. The maximum gun current ranged between (5 - 50 KA) according to the charging voltage of capacitors between (1-7 KV), a typical discharge times are on the order r of 125 μS.

Investigation of a washer-stack plasma gun on the Auburn torsatron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Austin, M.E. Jr.

1986-01-01

A pulsed device for producing a highly-ionized plasma in the Auburn Torsatron is described and construction details given. A plasma is formed by discharging a 14 uF capacitor charged to 6 to 12 kV through a titanium washer impregnated with hydrogen. The ions and electrons are injected transversely into the Torsatron confinement field and the plasma is studied with an x-band microwave interferometer and H-alpha spectral-line detectors. The results of initial measurements to determine the optimal performance parameters for the gun, such as discharge voltage and position, are presented. Also, peak electron density and decay time of the guns plasma are given for different machine and souce conditions

A simple model of the plasma deflagration gun including self-consistent electric and magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Enloe, C.L.; Reinovsky, R.E.

1985-01-01

At the Air Force Weapons Laboratory, interest has continued for some time in energetic plasma injectors. A possible scheme for such a device is the plasma deflagration gun. When the question arose whether it would be possible to scale a deflagration gun to the multi-megajoule energy level, it became clear that a scaling law which described the fun as a circuit element and allowed one to confidently scale gun parameters would be required. The authors sought to develop a scaling law which self-consistently described the current, magnetic field, and velocity profiles in the gun. They based this scaling law on plasma parameters exclusively, abandoning the fluid approach

Formation of compact toroidal plasmas by magnetized coaxial plasma gun injection into an oblate flux conserver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turner, W.C.; Goldenbaum, G.C.; Granneman, E.H.A.; Hartman, C.W.; Prono, D.S.; Taska, J.; Smith, A.C. Jr.

1980-01-01

Initial results are reported on the formation of compact toroidal plasmas in an oblate shaped metallic flux conserver. A schematic of the experimental apparatus is shown. The plasma injector is a coaxial plasma gun with solenoid coils wound on the inner and outer electrodes. The electrode length is 100 cm, the diameter of the inner (outer) electrode is 19.3 cm (32.4 cm). Deuterium gas is puffed into the region between electrodes by eight pulsed valves located on the outer electrode 50 cm from the end of the gun. The gun injects into a cylindrically symmetrical copper shell (wall thickness = 1.6 mm) which acts as a flux conserver for the time scale of experiments reported here. The copper shell consists of a transition cylinder 30 cm long, 34 cm in diameter, a cylindrical oblate pill box 40 cm long, 75 cm in diameter and a downstream cylinder 30 cm long, 30 cm in diameter. The gap between the gun and transition cylinder is 6 cm. An axial array of coils outside the vacuum chamber can be used to establish an initial uniform bias field

Two-stage plasma gun based on a gas discharge with a self-heating hollow emitter.

Science.gov (United States)

Vizir, A V; Tyunkov, A V; Shandrikov, M V; Oks, E M

2010-02-01

The paper presents the results of tests of a new compact two-stage bulk gas plasma gun. The plasma gun is based on a nonself-sustained gas discharge with an electron emitter based on a discharge with a self-heating hollow cathode. The operating characteristics of the plasma gun are investigated. The discharge system makes it possible to produce uniform and stable gas plasma in the dc mode with a plasma density up to 3x10(9) cm(-3) at an operating gas pressure in the vacuum chamber of less than 2x10(-2) Pa. The device features high power efficiency, design simplicity, and compactness.

Two-stage plasma gun based on a gas discharge with a self-heating hollow emitter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vizir, A. V.; Tyunkov, A. V.; Shandrikov, M. V.; Oks, E. M.

2010-01-01

The paper presents the results of tests of a new compact two-stage bulk gas plasma gun. The plasma gun is based on a nonself-sustained gas discharge with an electron emitter based on a discharge with a self-heating hollow cathode. The operating characteristics of the plasma gun are investigated. The discharge system makes it possible to produce uniform and stable gas plasma in the dc mode with a plasma density up to 3x10 9 cm -3 at an operating gas pressure in the vacuum chamber of less than 2x10 -2 Pa. The device features high power efficiency, design simplicity, and compactness.

Magnetized gun experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jarboe, T.R.; Henins, I.; Hoida, H.W.; Marshall, J.; Sherwood, A.R.

1981-01-01

In the Los Alamos Magnetized Gun Experiment we are attempting to produce a compact torus in a manner similar to an earlier experiment of Alfven. In our experiment a solenoidal coil is placed inside the inner electrode of a coaxial plasma gun. This coil produces an axial magnetic field inside the inner electrode which diverges and becomes a largely radial field in front of the gun muzzle. The idea is that when the gun is fired, the plasma escaping from the gun stretches these radial fields along the axial direction away from the gun, and these field lines can reconnect behind the plasma forming the poloidal field of the compact torus. The magnetic field generated by the gun current becomes the toroidal field and the major axis of the compact torus will be the same as the axis of the coaxial gun. Recent interest in this possible method of compact torus generation was stimulated by C. Hartman, and the approach is also being pursued in the field-reversed plasma gun experiment at LLL

Investigation and optimisation of a plasma cathode electron beam gun for material processing applications

OpenAIRE

Del Pozo Rodriguez, Sofia

2016-01-01

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University London. This thesis describes design, development and testing work on a plasma cathode electron beam gun as well as plasma diagnosis experiments and Electron Beam (EB) current measurements carried out with the aim of maximising the power of the EB extracted and optimising the electron beam gun system for material processing applications. The elements which influence EB gun design are described...

Stimulation of plasma waves by electron guns on the ISEE-1 satellite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lebreton, J.P.; Anderson, R.; Harvey, C.; Torbert, R.

1982-01-01

This chapter describes typical observations of the waves stimulated during the electron injections, when the spacecraft is passing through the magnetosphere, the magnetosheath and the solar wind. Topics considered include orbits of gun electrons, an electric field antenna, gun operation in the magnetosphere, natural waves in the magnetosheath and the solar wind, gun operation magnetosheath, and gun operation in the solar wind. A coupling mechanism between the electron plasma mode and streaming electrons with energies higher than the thermal speed of the cold electron population is proposed to explain the observations above the electron plasma frequency. It is demonstrated that on board the ISEE-1 satellite, the injection of an electron beam current of the order of 10 to 60 251A with energies ranging from 0 to 40 eV produced enhancements in the electric wave spectrum

Plasma diagnostics by electron guns and electric field probes on ISEE-1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pedersen, A.

1982-01-01

The use of electron guns to control the potential of a satellite with conductive surfaces is discussed with reference to the results of the ISEE-1 satellite experiment. The two electron guns carried by the satellite can emit electrons with energies up to 48 eV, and the emitted electron current has a maximum value of 0.5-1.0 mA. The satellite potential, with or without gun operation, can be measured with reference to one or two spherical electric field probes positioned on booms at a distance of 36 m from the satellite. The probes are biased with a negative current from a high-impedance source to be slightly positive (0.5-1.0 V) relative to the plasma, and the spacecraft is normally several volts more positive and can be further positively charged by operating the electron gun. Plasma diagnostics can be carried out by appropriate sweeps of gun currents and energy of emitted electrons to obtain information about density and characteristic energy of ambient electrons. 9 references

Analytical solution for a coaxial plasma gun: Weak coupling limit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dietz, D.

1987-01-01

The analytical solution of the system of coupled ODE's which describes the time evolution of an ideal (i.e., zero resistance) coaxial plasma gun operating in the snowplow mode is obtained in the weak coupling limit, i.e, when the gun is fully influenced by the driving (RLC) circuit in which it resides but the circuit is negligibly influenced by the gun. Criteria for the validity of this limit are derived and numerical examples are presented. Although others have obtained approximate, asymptotic and numerical solutions of the equations, the present analytical results seem not to have appeared previously in the literature

Use of coaxial plasma guns to start up field-reversed-mirror reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, A.C. Jr.; Carlson, G.A.; Eddleman, J.L.; Hartman, C.W.; Neef, W.S. Jr.

1980-01-01

Application of a magnetized coaxial plasma gun for start-up of a field-reversed-mirror reactor is considered. The design is based on preliminary scaling laws and is compared to the design of the start-up gun used in the Beta II experiment

Efficient trap of a coaxial gun plasma in an axisymmetric mirror with an internal hoop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asano, Shiro; Ihara, Makoto; Fukao, Masayuki

1989-01-01

A method to trap a high temperature and high density plasma from a coaxial gun in a mirror machine is described. The method is to inject plasma parallel to the axis from a coaxial gun located off the axis. The validity of the method is experimentally demonstrated with an MHD-stabilized axisymmetric mirror with an internal hoop. Density, electron and ion temperatures and their time behaviors were measured and it was made clear that a high density high temperature plasma was well trapped in the mirror by the parallel off-axis injection while the plasma was little trapped by on-axis injection. The plasma parameters obtained were also compared with those of a conventional titanium washer gun plasma. The causes to restrict the maximum ion temperature and of its quick decay are discussed. (author)

Counter-facing plasma guns for efficient extreme ultra-violet plasma light source

Science.gov (United States)

Kuroda, Yusuke; Yamamoto, Akiko; Kuwabara, Hajime; Nakajima, Mitsuo; Kawamura, Tohru; Horioka, Kazuhiko

2013-11-01

A plasma focus system composed of a pair of counter-facing coaxial guns was proposed as a long-pulse and/or repetitive high energy density plasma source. We applied Li as the source of plasma for improvement of the conversion efficiency, the spectral purity, and the repetition capability. For operation of the system with ideal counter-facing plasma focus mode, we changed the system from simple coaxial geometry to a multi-channel configuration. We applied a laser trigger to make synchronous multi-channel discharges with low jitter. The results indicated that the configuration is promising to make a high energy density plasma with high spectral efficiency.

Counter-facing plasma guns for efficient extreme ultra-violet plasma light source

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kuroda Yusuke

2013-11-01

Full Text Available A plasma focus system composed of a pair of counter-facing coaxial guns was proposed as a long-pulse and/or repetitive high energy density plasma source. We applied Li as the source of plasma for improvement of the conversion efficiency, the spectral purity, and the repetition capability. For operation of the system with ideal counter-facing plasma focus mode, we changed the system from simple coaxial geometry to a multi-channel configuration. We applied a laser trigger to make synchronous multi-channel discharges with low jitter. The results indicated that the configuration is promising to make a high energy density plasma with high spectral efficiency.

Characterization of plasma jet ejected from a parallel-plate rail gun for simulating edge localized mode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, K.S.; Chung, Kyoung-Jae; Jung, B.K.; Hwang, Y.S.

2013-01-01

Highlights: • A small plasma gun is constructed to study edge localized mode. • A plasma jet ejected from the gun is characterized with a quadruple Langmuir probe. • The device and diagnostics are suitable for research about the control of plasma jet. -- Abstract: A small plasma gun with parallel-plate configuration is fabricated to generate a bunch of plasma which is similar to ELM (edge localized mode) plasma, by taking advantages of its simplicity and cost-effectiveness. Prior to explore how to control the ELM-like plasma so as to relieve heat load on the divertor target, characteristics of a plasma jet ejected from the plasma gun are investigated using a quadruple Langmuir probe which is appropriate for measuring rapidly varying plasma parameters such as electron density, temperature, and ion velocity at the same time. The plasma density and ion velocity measured at 112 mm away from the exit are 3 × 10 19 m −3 and 11 km/s, respectively, which seem to be suitable for investigating next step research on the control of ELM-like plasma using various methods such as electromagnetic waves and high-voltage pulses. Also, the quadruple Langmuir probe is proven to be adequate for use in such experiments

Overview and Recent Results from the HyperV Plasma Gun

Science.gov (United States)

Witherspoon, F. Douglas; Case, Andrew; Messer, Sarah; Bomgardner, Richard; Phillips, Michael; van Doren, David; Elton, Raymond; Uzun-Kaymak, Ilker

2007-11-01

We present an overview of research at HyperV to develop high velocity dense plasma jets for application to fusion and HEDP. The approach uses symmetrical pulsed injection of high density plasma into a coaxial EM accelerator having a cross-section tailored to prevent formation of the blow-by instability. Two development paths are followed to accomplish this injection step: we compare large arrays of capillary discharges to sparkgaps arranged in a toroidal configuration. Experiments on three test fixtures are described: a 2pi configuration with 64 capillary injectors, a 32 injector prototype gun designed to drive rotation in the Maryland MCX experiment, and a second gun using 112 sparkgap electrodes for injection. Data is presented from visible light spectroscopy, fast optical imaging, Rogowski coils, pressure probes, Bdot probes, photodiodes, and a laser interferometer. Ballistic pendulum tests indicate plasma jets with mass 160 micrograms at 70 km/s have been achieved with plasma density above 10^15 cm-3.

Vacuum UV spectroscopy of armor erosion from plasma gun disruption simulation experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rockett, P.D.; Gahl, J.M.; Zhitlukhin, A.; Arkhipov, K.; Bakhtin, V.; Toporkov, D.; Ovchinnokov, I.; Kuznetsov, V.E.; Titov, V.A.

1995-01-01

Extensive simulations of tokamak disruptions have provided a picture of material erosion that is limited by the transfer of energy from the incident plasma to the armor solid surface through a dense vapor shield. Two transmission grating vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) spectrographs were designed and utilized to study the plasma-material interface in plasma gun simulation experiments. Target materials included POCO graphite, ATJ graphite, boron nitride and plasma-sprayed tungsten. Detailed spectra were recorded with a spatial resolution of ca. 0.7mm resolution on VIKA at Efremov and on 2MK-200 at Troitsk. Time-resolved data with 40-200ns resolution were then recorded along with the same spatial resolution on 2MK-200. The VIKA plasma gun directly illuminated a target with a high-intensity plasma pulse of 2-100MJm -2 with low-energy ions of ca. 100eV. The 2MK-200 plasma gun illuminated the target via a magnetic cusp that permitted only deuterium to pass with energies of ca. 1keV, but which produced a fairly low intensity of 2MJm -2 . Power densities on target ranged from 10 7 to 10 8 Wcm -2 . Emitted spectra were recorded from 15 to 450A over a distance from 0 to 7cm above the armor target surface. The data from both plasma gun facilities demonstrated that the hottest plasma region was sitting several millimeters above the armor tile surface. This apparently constituted the absorption region, which confirmed past computer simulations. Spectra indicated both the species and ionization level that were being ablated from the target, demonstrating impurity content, and showing plasma ablation velocity. Graphite samples clearly showed CV lines as well as impurity lines from O V and O VI. The BN tiles produced textbook examples of BIV and BV, and extensive NIV, V and VI lines. These are being compared with radiation-hydrodynamic calculations. (orig.)

Schlieren method diagnostics of plasma compression in front of coaxial gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kravarik, J.; Kubes, P.; Hruska, J.; Bacilek, J.

1983-01-01

The schlieren method employing a movable knife edge placed in the focal plane of a laser beam was used for the diagnostics of plasma produced by a coaxial plasma gun. When compared with the interferometric method reported earlier, spatial resolution was improved by more than one order of magnitude. In the determination of electron density near the gun orifice, spherical symmetry of the current sheath inhomogeneities and cylindrical symmetry of the compression maximum were assumed. Radial variation of electron density could be reconstructed from the photometric measurements of the transversal variation of schlieren light intensity. Due to small plasma dimensions, electron density was determined directly from the knife edge shift necessary for shadowing the corresponding part of the picture. (J.U.)

The Influence of the Axial Magnetic Field Upon- the Coaxial Plasma Gun Parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Aragi, G.M.; El-Demardash, A.

2001-01-01

This study concerns with the influence of an applied axial magnetic field upon the electrical parameters and on the brightness (luminance) of argon plasma. The brightness was measured by with a photomultiplier type of IP28 RCA. The experimental results are investigated with plasma gun device operated with argon gas at a pressure of 3.5 Torr. An axial time independent magnetic field with intensity of 550 G is introduced along the plasma current sheath axial region, within the annular space between the two coaxial electrodes. From the measurements of the discharge current I(t) and the voltage V(t), the electrical discharge parameters of the plasma gun device and the plasma current sheath implosion velocity are estimated, in normal mode of plasma gun operation and in the mode of presence external axial magnetic field. A comparison between these two modes is studied. It was found that the thickness of skin-layer δ about 0.01 cm and the wavelength λ, of the perturbation about 1.3 cm i.e. the instability has been satisfied. The growth rate γ of the instability about 10 6 sec -1 . (author)

Large density amplification measured on jets ejected from a magnetized plasma gun

OpenAIRE

Yun, Gunsu S.; You, Setthivoine; Bellan, Paul M.

2007-01-01

Observation of a large density amplification in the collimating plasma jet ejected from a coplanar coaxial plasma gun is reported. The jet velocity is ~30 km s^-1 and the electron density increases from ~10^20 to 10^(22–23) m^-3. In previous spheromak experiments, electron density of the order 10^(19–21) m^-3 had been measured in the flux conserver region, but no density measurement had been reported for the source gun region. The coplanar geometry of our electrodes permits direct observation...

Influence of plasma parameters in pulsed plasma gun on modification processes in exposed structural materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Byrka, O.V.; Bandura, A.N.; Chebotarev, V.V.; Garkusha, I.E.; Garkusha, V.V.; Makhai, V.A.; Tereshin, V.I.

2011-01-01

This paper is focused on investigation of helium, nitrogen and krypton plasma streams generated by pulsed plasma gun (PPA). The main objection of this study is adjustment of plasma treatment regimes for different materials that allows achieving optimal thickness of modified layer with simultaneously minimal value of surface roughness. Features of materials alloying from gas and metallic plasma as a result of the plasma ions mixing with the steel substrate in liquid phase are discussed also.

O2 Plasma Etching and Antistatic Gun Surface Modifications for CNT Yarn Microelectrode Improve Sensitivity and Antifouling Properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Cheng; Wang, Ying; Jacobs, Christopher B; Ivanov, Ilia N; Venton, B Jill

2017-05-16

Carbon nanotube (CNT) based microelectrodes exhibit rapid and selective detection of neurotransmitters. While different fabrication strategies and geometries of CNT microelectrodes have been characterized, relatively little research has investigated ways to selectively enhance their electrochemical properties. In this work, we introduce two simple, reproducible, low-cost, and efficient surface modification methods for carbon nanotube yarn microelectrodes (CNTYMEs): O 2 plasma etching and antistatic gun treatment. O 2 plasma etching was performed by a microwave plasma system with oxygen gas flow and the optimized time for treatment was 1 min. The antistatic gun treatment flows ions by the electrode surface; two triggers of the antistatic gun was the optimized number on the CNTYME surface. Current for dopamine at CNTYMEs increased 3-fold after O 2 plasma etching and 4-fold after antistatic gun treatment. When the two treatments were combined, the current increased 12-fold, showing the two effects are due to independent mechanisms that tune the surface properties. O 2 plasma etching increased the sensitivity due to increased surface oxygen content but did not affect surface roughness while the antistatic gun treatment increased surface roughness but not oxygen content. The effect of tissue fouling on CNT yarns was studied for the first time, and the relatively hydrophilic surface after O 2 plasma etching provided better resistance to fouling than unmodified or antistatic gun treated CNTYMEs. Overall, O 2 plasma etching and antistatic gun treatment improve the sensitivity of CNTYMEs by different mechanisms, providing the possibility to tune the CNTYME surface and enhance sensitivity.

A coaxial plasma gun with a controllable streaming velocity in the range of 2-90 km secsup(-1)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venkataramani, N.; Mattoo, S.K.

1981-01-01

A coaxial plasma gun capable of producing a plasma stream of velocity ranging between 2 and 90 km secsup(-1) is described. The velocity of the stream is controlled by a variable (0.2-25 Ω) NaCl salt solution resistor in the discharge path of the energy storage connected across the gun. The resistor dissipates an energy of 200 J in the gun discharge current pulse period of 25 μ sec and the consequent heating and dissociation of the electrolyte are insignificant. The electron density of the plasma stream ranges between 10 18 and 10 19 msup(-3) and the temperature is approximately 10 eV. The total number of ions per plasma pulse is approximately 10 18 . The energy transfer efficiency of the gun is approximately 10%. The low transfer efficiency is explained in terms of the experimental requirements and the performance of the valve which admits gas into the gun region. For evaluation of the performance of the gun, several diagnostics have been deployed. A specially designed high voltage capacitor probe is described. (author)

Density profile measurements from a two-gun plasma focus device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tzeng, C.C.; Yen, C.K.; Yeh, T.R.; Kuo, Y.Y.; Shang, D.J.; Yu, Y.Z.; Hou, W.S.

1990-01-01

The dynamics of the plasma evolution in a two-gun plasma focus device has been studied using the laser shadowgraphy as well as the laser interferometry. The experiments were carried out from a 700 kJ two-gun plasma focus device reported earlier, which consisted of a pair of Mather type coaxial electrodes connected muzzle to muzzle. Previous results indicated that the simultaneous formation of the two deuterium plasma foci occurred earlier and then after ∼ 100 ns a disk-shaped plasma of ∼ 1.5 cm in diameter appeared in the middle region between the anodes. It is, therefore, the authors' goal to study the density profiles in the plasma foci and the middle region in order to understand further the formation of the plasma foci and their time evolution. The laser shadowgraphy was done with a XeCl excimer pumped dye laser system which operated at 550 nm with pulse width of ∼ 10 ns. The laser interferometry, on the other hand, was carried out using a TEA-TEA oscillator-amplifier N 2 -laser system with 337.1 nm and subnano-second pulse width. Both results show that the maximum electron density is ≥2 x 10 19 cm -3 and, in addition, the growth of the hydrodynamic instabilities are observed. These results together with the detailed density profiles are presented and discussed

Studies of the ablated plasma from experimental plasma gun disruption simulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rockett, P.D.; Hunter, J.A.; Bradley, J.T. III; Gahl, J.M.; Litunovsky, V.N.; Ovchinnokov, I.B.; Ljublin, B.V.; Kuznetsov, B.E.; Titov, V.A.; Zhitlukhin, A.; Arkhipov, K.; Bakhtin, V.; Toporkov, D.

1995-01-01

Extensive simulations of tokamak disruptions have provided a picture of material erosion that is limited by the transfer of energy from the incident plasma to the armor solid surface through a dense plasma shield. Radiation spectra were recorded in the VUV and in the visible at the Efremov Laboratories on VIKA using graphite targets. The VUV data were recorded with a Sandia Labs transmission grating spectrograph, covering 1-40 nm. Plasma parameters were evaluated with incident plasma energy densities varying from 10-100 MJ/m 2 . A second transmission grating spectrograph was taken to 2MK-200 at TRINITI to study the plasma-material interface in magnetic cusp plasma. Target materials included POCO graphite, ATJ graphite, boron nitride, and plasma-sprayed tungsten. Detailed spectra were recorded with a spatial resolution of similar 1 mm. Time-resolved data with 40-200 ns resolution was also recorded. The data from both plasma gun facilities demonstrated that the hottest plasma region was sitting several millimeters above the armor tile surface. ((orig.))

Decay of plasma cluster accelerated by coaxial gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kubes, P.; Hruska, J.; Bacilek, J.

1978-01-01

The decay of an air cluster accelerated in a vacuum tube is studied. The time dependence of electron density and electron temperature is introduced and the effect of different recombination processes is discussed. The observed plasma decay shows an exponential law, is independent of the gun regime and may be explained by ambipolar diffusion to the tube walls. (author)

Production of a rapidly rotating plasma by cross-field injection of gun-produced plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohzu, Akira; Ikehata, Takashi; Tanabe, Toshio; Mase, Hiroshi

1984-01-01

Cross-field plasma injection with use of a JxB plasma gun is described as a method to produce rapidly rotating plasma in a crossed electric and magnetic field system. The rotational velocity of the plasma is seriously limited by neutrals surrounding the plasma through strong interactions at the boundary layer. The concentration of neutrals can be reduced by the injection of fully or partially ionized plasma into the discharge volume instead of filling the volume with an operating gas. With use of this method, it is observed that the rotational velocity increases by a factor of 2 to 3 when compared with the conventional method of stationary gas-filling. (author)

Startup of reversed-field mirror reactors using coaxial plasma guns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, A.C. Jr.; Hartman, C.W.; Carlson, G.A.; Neef, W.S. Jr.; Eddleman, J.L.

1979-01-01

Preliminary calculations are given that indicate that a coaxial plasma gun might scale reasonably to reactor-grade operating conditions. Ongoing experiments and numerical simulations should shed some light on the validity of the described scaling laws

Centrifugal mass separation in rotating plasmas produced by a coaxial plasma gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikehata, T.; Suzuki, M.; Tanabe, T.; Mase, H.

1989-01-01

Rotating Cu/Zn plasmas produced by a coaxial plasma gun have been applied to plasma centrifuge. A separation factor of up to 10 is measured over a radius of 4 cm when a current of 13 kA and an axial magnetic field of 2.5 kG are applied. Plasma parameters are: rotation frequency ω=1.1x10 6 rad/s, density n∼10 15 cm -3 , and ion temperature T i =10 eV. The separation factor of 2 is attained even in the plasma core where the density is higher than one-half of the peak value. This is attributed to the fact that a strong centrifugal force forms a hollow density profile which gives the density peak at a radius of 2 cm

Studies of the ablated plasma from experimental plasma gun disruption simulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rockett, P.D.; Hunter, J.A.; Bradley, J.T.

1994-01-01

Extensive simulations of Tokamak disruptions have provided a picture of material erosion that is limited by the transfer of energy from the incident plasma to the armor solid surface through a dense vapor shield. Radiation spectra were recorded in the VUV and in the visible at the Efremov Laboratories on VIKA using graphite targets. The VUV data were recorded with a Sandia Labs transmission grating spectrograph, covering 1--40 nm. Plasma parameters were evaluated with incident plasma energy densities varying from 1--10 kJ/cm 2 . A second transmission grating spectrograph was taken to 2MK-200 at TRINITI to study the plasma-material interface in magnetic cusp plasma. Target materials included POCO graphite, ATJ graphite, boron nitride, and plasma-sprayed tungsten. Detailed spectra were recorded with a spatial resolution of ∼1 mm resolution. Time-resolved data with 40--200 ns resolution was also recorded. The data from both plasma gun facilities demonstrated that the hottest plasma region was sitting several millimeters above the armor tile surface

Dynamics of a coaxial plasma gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raadu, M.A.

1977-01-01

The dynamics of an ionizing wave in a coaxial plasma gun with an azimuthal bias magnetic field is analysed in a theoretical model. Only the radial dependence is treated and instead of including a treatment of the energy balance two separate physical assumptions are made. In the first case it is assumed that the total internal electric field is given by the critical ionization velocity condition and in the second that the ionization rate is constant. For consistency wall sheaths are assumed to match the internal plasma potential to that of the walls. On the basis of momentum and particle balance the radial dependence of the electron density, current density, electric field and drift velocity are found. An electron source is required at the cathode and the relative contribution from ionization within the plasma is deduced. The assumption that there are no ion sources at the electrodes leads to a restriction on the possible values of the axial electric field. (Auth.)

Experimental investigation of coaxial-gun-formed plasmas injected into a background transverse magnetic field or plasma

OpenAIRE

Zhang, Yue; Fisher, Dustin M.; Gilmore, Mark; Hsu, Scott C.; Lynn, Alan G.

2017-01-01

Injection of coaxial-gun-formed magnetized plasmas into a background transverse vacuum magnetic field or into a background magnetized plasma has been studied in the helicon-cathode (HelCat) linear plasma device at the University of New Mexico [M. Gilmore et al., J. Plasma Phys.81, 345810104 (2015)]. Magnetized plasma jet launched into a background transverse magnetic field shows emergent kink stabilization of the jet due to the formation of a sheared flow in the jet above the kink-stabilizati...

Acceleration of compact torus plasma rings in a coaxial rail-gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hartman, C.W.; Hammer, J.H.; Eddleman, J.

1986-01-01

They discuss here theoretical studies of magnetic acceleration of Compact Torus plasma rings in a coaxial, rail-gun accelerator. The rings are formed using a magnetized coaxial plasma gun and are accelerated by injection of B/sub Theta/ flux from an accelerator bank. After acceleration, the rings enter a focusing cone where the ring is decelerated and reduced in radius. As the ring radius decreases, the ring magnetic energy increases until it equals the entering kinetic energy and the ring stagnates. Scaling laws and numerical calculations of acceleration using a O-D numerical code are presented. 2-D, MHD simulations are shown which demonstrate ring formation, acceleration, and focusing. Finally, 3-D calculations are discussed which determine the ideal MHD stability of the accelerated ring

Acceleration of compact torus plasma rings in a coaxial rail-gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hartman, C.W.; Hammer, J.H.; Eddleman, J.

1985-01-01

We discuss here theoretical studies of magnetic acceleration of Compact Torus plasma rings in a coaxial, rail-gun accelerator. The rings are formed using a magnetized coaxial plasma gun and are accelerated by injection of B/sub theta/ flux from an accelerator bank. After acceleration, the rings enter a focusing cone where the ring is decelerated and reduced in radius. As the ring radius decreases, the ring magnetic energy increases until it equals the entering kinetic energy and the ring stagnates. Scaling laws and numerical calculations of acceleration using a O-D numerical code are presented. 2-D, MHD simulations are shown which demonstrate ring formation, acceleration, and focusing. Finally, 3-D calculations are discussed which determine the ideal MHD stability of the accelerated ring

Experimental investigation of vapor shielding effects induced by ELM-like pulsed plasma loads using the double plasma gun device

Science.gov (United States)

Sakuma, I.; Kikuchi, Y.; Kitagawa, Y.; Asai, Y.; Onishi, K.; Fukumoto, N.; Nagata, M.

2015-08-01

We have developed a unique experimental device of so-called double plasma gun, which consists of two magnetized coaxial plasma gun (MCPG) devices, in order to clarify effects of vapor shielding on material erosion due to transient events in magnetically confined fusion devices. Two ELM-like pulsed plasmas produced by the two MCPG devices were injected into a target chamber with a variable time difference. For generating ablated plasmas in front of a target material, an aluminum foil sample in the target chamber was exposed to a pulsed plasma produced by the 1st MCPG device. The 2nd pulsed plasma was produced with a time delay of 70 μs. It was found that a surface absorbed energy measured by a calorimeter was reduced to ∼66% of that without the Al foil sample. Thus, the reduction of the incoming plasma energy by the vapor shielding effect was successfully demonstrated in the present experiment.

Experimental investigation of vapor shielding effects induced by ELM-like pulsed plasma loads using the double plasma gun device

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sakuma, I., E-mail: eu13z002@steng.u-hyogo.ac.jp; Kikuchi, Y.; Kitagawa, Y.; Asai, Y.; Onishi, K.; Fukumoto, N.; Nagata, M.

2015-08-15

We have developed a unique experimental device of so-called double plasma gun, which consists of two magnetized coaxial plasma gun (MCPG) devices, in order to clarify effects of vapor shielding on material erosion due to transient events in magnetically confined fusion devices. Two ELM-like pulsed plasmas produced by the two MCPG devices were injected into a target chamber with a variable time difference. For generating ablated plasmas in front of a target material, an aluminum foil sample in the target chamber was exposed to a pulsed plasma produced by the 1st MCPG device. The 2nd pulsed plasma was produced with a time delay of 70 μs. It was found that a surface absorbed energy measured by a calorimeter was reduced to ∼66% of that without the Al foil sample. Thus, the reduction of the incoming plasma energy by the vapor shielding effect was successfully demonstrated in the present experiment.

Control of the Helicity Content of a Gun-Generated Spheromak by Incorporating a Conducting Shell into a Magnetized Coaxial Plasma Gun

Science.gov (United States)

Matsumoto, Tadafumi; Sekiguchi, Jun'ichi; Asai, Tomohiko

In the formation of magnetized plasmoid by a magnetized coaxial plasma gun (MCPG), the magnetic helicity content of the generated plasmoid is one of the critical parameters. Typically, the bias coil to generate a poloidal flux is mounted either on the outer electrode or inside the inner electrode. However, most of the flux generated in the conventional method spreads even radially outside of the formation region. Thus, only a fraction of the total magnetic flux is actually exploited for helicity generation in the plasmoid. In the proposed system, the plasma gun incorporates a copper shell mounted on the outer electrode. By changing the rise time of the discharge bias coil current and the geometrical structure of the shell, the magnetic field structure and its time evolution can be controlled. The effect of the copper shell has been numerically simulated for the actual gun structure, and experimentally confirmed. This may increase the magnetic helicity content results, through increased poloidal magnetic field.

The geomagnetic field - An explanation for the microturbulence in coaxial gun plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mather, J.W.; Ahluwalia, H.S.

1988-01-01

The authors describe the complexity introduced by the geomagnetic field in several regions of a coaxial gun plasma device. It is shown that the annihilation of the swept-up geomagnetic flux, trapped within the highly compressed turbulent plasma, provides an explanation for varied performance and experimental results

Design and experimental results of a new electron gun using a magnetic multipole plasma generator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, S.; Yokoyama, K.; Akiba, M.; Araki, M.; Dairaku, M.; Inoue, T.; Mizuno, M.; Okumura, Y.; Ohara, Y.; Seki, M.; Watanabe, K.

1991-01-01

A new electron gun utilizing a magnetic multipole plasma generator was designed and fabricated as the heat source of the high heat flux test facility, called JEBIS (JAERI electron beam irradiation stand). By changing the acceleration grids, this electron gun is able to produce a pencil to a sheetlike electron beams up to 4 A at 100 keV for 1 ms to continuous mode. In this electron gun, magnetic lens system is not adopted to focus the electron beam, but the space charge neutralization effect by the beam plasma produced downstream of the electron gun is utilized to prevent the blow-up of the electron beam. In addition, high permeability metal is embedded in the first and the second grids to magnetically shield the earth field and the stray field from the beam bending magnet. It was experimentally demonstrated that wide range of heat flux from 0.2 MW/m 2 to over 2000 MW/m 2 can be realized at the test sample position about 1.7 m downstream of the electron gun

Electron emission and plasma generation in a modulator electron gun using ferroelectric cathode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Shutao; Zheng Shuxin; Zhu Ziqiu; Dong Xianlin; Tang Chuanxiang

2006-01-01

Strong electron emission and dense plasma generation have been observed in a modulator electron gun with a Ba 0.67 Sr 0.33 TiO 3 ferroelectric cathode. Parameter of the modulator electron gun and lifetime of the ferroelectric cathode were investigated. It was shown that electron emission from Ba 0.67 Sr 0.33 TiO 3 cathode with a positive triggering pulse is a sort of plasma emission. Electrons were emitted by the co-effect of surface plasma and non-compensated negative polarization charges at the surface of the ferroelectric. The element analyses of the graphite collector after emission process was performed to show the ingredient of the plasma consist of Ba, Ti and Cu heavy cations of the ceramic compound and electrode. It was demonstrated the validity of the Child-Langmuir law by introducing the decrease of vacuum gap and increase of emission area caused by the expansion of the surface plasma

Investigations of the magnetic structure and the decay of a plasma-gun-generated compact torus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turner, W.C.; Goldenbaum, G.C.; Granneman, E.H.A.; Hammer, J.H.; Hartman, C.W.; Prono, D.S.; Taska, J.

1983-01-01

The results of a series of experimental measurements of compact toroidal (CT) plasmas produced by a magnetized coaxial plasma gun injecting into a flux-conserving metallic liner are reported. The experiments were performed on the Beta II facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The magnetic equilibria are well described by a force-free eigenmode structure that results from an extension of Taylor's theory of the reversed-field pinch. Consideration of helicity conservation during relaxation of the composite plasma-gun flux-conserver system to the final state equilibrium yields theoretical expressions that are compared with the experiment

Expansion of a plasma injected from an electrodeless gun along a magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raadu, M.A.

1978-04-01

The dynamics of a plasma injected from an electrodeless plasma gun (conical theta pinch) into a longitudinal magnetic field is studied theoretically. For the experiments referred to, conditions are collisionless for the ions and range from collision dominated to collisionless for the electrons. During the expansion of the injected plasma the electrons are trapped by an ambipolar electric field maintaining charge neutrality and a magnetic mirror at the gun. The development of the ion and electron distribution functions for the completely collisionless case is considered in detail. Assuming that the acceleration of the ions is negligible and taking the action integral over an electron oscillation to be an adiabatic invariant self similar solutions are found. The electrons lose energy adiabatically as a result of the plasma expansion and it is suggested that a re-thermalisation process must operate in experimental situations to account for the observed electron energies

Fast-acting calorimeter measures heat output of plasma gun accelerator

Science.gov (United States)

Dethlefson, R.; Larson, A. V.; Liebing, L.

1967-01-01

Calorimeter measures the exhaust energy from a shot of a pulsed plasma gun accelerator. It has a fast response time and requires only one measurement to determine the total energy. It uses a long ribbon of copper foil wound around a glass frame to form a reentrant cavity.

Investigation of MHD Instabilities in Jets and Bubbles Using a Compact Coaxial Plasma Gun in a Background Magnetized Plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Y.; Fisher, D. M.; Wallace, B.; Gilmore, M.; Hsu, S. C.

2016-10-01

A compact coaxial plasma gun is employed for experimental investigation of launching plasma into a lower density background magnetized plasma. Experiments are being conducted in the linear device HelCat at UNM. Four distinct operational regimes with qualitatively different dynamics are identified by fast CCD camera images. For regime I plasma jet formation, a global helical magnetic configuration is determined by a B-dot probe array data. Also the m =1 kink instability is observed and verified. Furthermore, when the jet is propagating into background magnetic field, a longer length and lifetime jet is formed. Axial shear flow caused by the background magnetic tension force contributes to the increased stability of the jet body. In regime II, a spheromak-like plasma bubble formation is identified when the gun plasma is injected into vacuum. In contrast, when the bubble propagates into a background magnetic field, the closed magnetic field configuration does not hold anymore and a lateral side, Reilgh-Taylor instability develops. Detailed experimental data and analysis will be presented for these cases.

Effects of the current boundary conditions at the plasma-gun gap on density in SSPX

Science.gov (United States)

Kolesnikov, Roman; Lodestro, L. L.; Meyer, W. H.

2012-10-01

The Sustained Spheromak Physics Experiment (SSPX) was a toroidal magnetic-confinement device without toroidal magnetic-field coils or a central transformer but which generated core-plasma currents by dynamo processes driven by coaxial plasma-gun injection into a flux-conserving vessel. Record electron temperatures in a spheromak (Te˜500eV) were achieved, and final results of the SSPX program were reported in [1]. Plasma density, which depended strongly on wall conditions, was an important parameter in SSPX. It was observed that density rises with Igun and that confinement improved as the density was lowered. Shortly after the last experiments, a new feature was added to the Corsica code's solver used to reconstruct SSPX equilibria. Motivated by n=0 fields observed in NIMROD simulations of SSPX, an insulating boundary condition was implemented at the plasma-gun gap. Using this option we will perform new reconstructions of SSPX equilibria and look for correlations between the location of the separatrix (which moves up the gun wall and onto the insulating gap as Igun increases) and plasma density and magnetic-flux amplification [2].[4pt] [1] H. S. McLean, APS, DPP, Dallas, TX, 2008.[0pt] [2] E. B. Hooper et al., Nucl. Fusion 47, 1064 (2007).

Instantaneous current and field structure of a gun-driven spheromak for two gun polarities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woodruff, S; Nagata, M

2002-01-01

The instantaneous plasma structure of the SPHEX spheromak is determined here by numerically processing data from insertable Rogowski and magnetic field probes. Data is presented and compared for two modes of gun operation: with the central electrode biased positively and negatively. It is found that while the mean-, or even instantaneous-, field structure would give the impression of a roughly axisymmetric spheromak, the instantaneous current structure does not. Hundred per cent variations in J measured at the magnetic axis can be explained by the rotation of a current filament that has a width equal to half of the radius of the flux-conserving first wall. In positive gun operation, current leaves the filament in the confinement region leading to high wall current there. In negative gun operation, wall current remains low as all injected current returns to the gun through the plasma. The plasma, in either instance, is strongly asymmetric. We discuss evidence for the existence of the current filament in other gun-driven spheromaks and coaxial plasma thrusters

Optimization of the Magnetic Field Structure for Sustained Plasma Gun Helicity Injection for Magnetic Turbulence Studies at the Bryn Mawr Plasma Laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Cartagena-Sanchez, C. A.; Schaffner, D. A.; Johnson, H. K.; Fahim, L. E.

2017-10-01

A long-pulsed magnetic coaxial plasma gun is being implemented and characterized at the Bryn Mawr Plasma Laboratory (BMPL). A cold cathode discharged between the cylindrical electrodes generates and launches plasma into a 24cm diameter, 2m long chamber. Three separately pulsed magnetic coils are carefully positioned to generate radial magnetic field between the electrodes at the gun edge in order to provide stuffing field. Magnetic helicity is continuously injected into the flux-conserving vacuum chamber in a process akin to sustained slow-formation of spheromaks. The aim of this source, however, is to supply long pulses of turbulent magnetized plasma for measurement rather than for sustained spheromak production. The work shown here details the optimization of the magnetic field structure for this sustained helicity injection.

A low aspect ratio electrothermal gun for metal plasma vapor discharge and ceramic nanopowder production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Kyoung Jin; Peterson, Dennis R.

2008-01-01

Traditionally, the electrothermal gun design has the bore of a large aspect ratio: however, a low aspect ratio design with a shorter bore length has been employed for efficient production of metal plasma vapors and synthesis of nanomaterials. In a comparison of the arc resistance-current relationship, a low aspect ratio design is found to exhibit distinctively different characteristics compared to a high aspect ratio design, and this trend is explained by the scaling law of plasma properties including theory of plasma electrical conductivity. A one-dimensional isothermal model has been applied to the present experiments to confirm the scaling laws, and it was found that the present modification of the electrothermal gun is able to produce fully ionized metal plasma vapor, while the plasma vapor produced in a conventional design is partially ionized. Also, by reacting metal plasma vapors with the controlled gases in the reaction chamber, nanoscale materials such as aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, and titanium oxide were synthesized successfully

Waves generated in the vicinity of an argon plasma gun in the ionosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Cahill, L. J., Jr.; Arnoldy, R. L.; Lysak, R. L.; Peria, W.; Lynch, K. A.

1993-01-01

Wave and particle observations were made in the close vicinity of an argon plasma gun carned to over 600 km altitude on a sounding rocket. The gun was carned on a subpayload, separated from the main payload early in the flight. Twelve-second argon ion ejections were energized alternately with a peak energy of 100 or 200 eV. They produced waves, with multiple harmonics, in the range of ion cyclotron waves, 10 to 1000 Hz at rocket altitudes. Many of these waves could not be identified as corresponding to the cyclotron frequencies of any of the ions, argon or ambient, known to be present. In addition, the wave frequencies were observed to rise and fall and to change abruptly during a 12-s gun operation. The wave amplitudes, near a few hundred Hertz, were of the order of O. 1 V/m. Some of the waves may be ion-ion hybrid waves. Changes in ion populations were observed at the main payload and at the subpayload during gun operations. A gun-related, field-aligned, electron population also appeared.

Very low pressure plasma sprayed yttria-stabilized zirconia coating using a low-energy plasma gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Lin; Zhang, Nannan; Bolot, Rodolphe; Planche, Marie-Pierre; Liao, Hanlin; Coddet, Christian

2011-01-01

In the present study, a more economical low-energy plasma source was used to perform a very low pressure plasma-spray (VLPPS) process. The plasma-jet properties were analyzed by means of optical emission spectroscopy (OES). Moreover, yttria-stabilized zirconia coating (YSZ) was elaborated by a F100 low-power plasma gun under working pressure of 1 mbar, and the substrate specimens were partially shadowed by a baffle-plate during plasma spraying for obtaining different coating microstructures. Based on the SEM observation, a column-like grain coating was deposited by pure vapor deposition at the shadowed region, whereas, in the unshadowed region, the coating exhibited a binary microstructure which was formed by a mixed deposition of melted particles and evaporated particles. The mechanical properties of the coating were also well under investigation. (orig.)

DC-driven plasma gun: self-oscillatory operation mode of atmospheric-pressure helium plasma jet comprised of repetitive streamer breakdowns

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xingxing; Shashurin, Alexey

2017-02-01

This paper presents and studies helium atmospheric pressure plasma jet comprised of a series of repetitive streamer breakdowns, which is driven by pure DC high voltage (self-oscillatory behavior). The repetition frequency of the breakdowns is governed by the geometry of discharge electrodes/surroundings and gas flow rate. Each next streamer is initiated when the electric field on the anode tip recovers after the previous breakdown and reaches the breakdown threshold value of about 2.5 kV cm-1. One type of the helium plasma gun designed using this operational principle is demonstrated. The gun operates on about 3 kV DC high voltage and is comprised of the series of the repetitive streamer breakdowns at a frequency of about 13 kHz.

Ion-plasma gun for ion-milling machine

Science.gov (United States)

Kaminsky, Manfred S.; Campana, Jr., Thomas J.

1976-01-01

An ion gun includes an elongated electrode with a hollow end portion closed by a perforated end plate. The end plate is positioned parallel to a perforated flat electrode of opposite electrical polarity. An insulated sleeve encompasses the elongated electrode and extends outwardly from the perforated end towards the flat electrode. The sleeve length is separated into two portions of different materials. The first is formed of a high-temperature material that extends over the hollow portion of the elongated electrode where the arc is initiated by a point source electrode. The second sleeve portion extending over the remainder of the elongated electrode is of a resilient material for enhanced seal-forming ability and retention of plasma gas. Perforations are arranged in the flat electrode in a mutually opposing triangular pattern to project a plasma beam having a generally flat current profile towards a target requiring precision milling.

New mode of operating a magnetized coaxial plasma gun for injecting magnetic helicity into a spheromak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woodruff, S.; Hill, D.N.; Stallard, B.W.; Bulmer, R.; Cohen, B.; Holcomb, C.T.; Hooper, E.B.; McLean, H.S.; Moller, J.; Wood, R.D.

2003-01-01

By operating a magnetized coaxial plasma gun continuously with just sufficient current to enable plasma ejection, large gun-voltage spikes (∼1 kV) are produced, giving the highest sustained voltage ∼500 V and highest sustained helicity injection rate observed in the Sustained Spheromak Physics Experiment. The spheromak magnetic field increases monotonically with time, exhibiting the lowest fluctuation levels observed during formation of any spheromak (B-tilde)/B≥2%). The results suggest an important mechanism for field generation by helicity injection, namely, the merging of helicity-carrying filaments

New mode of operating a magnetized coaxial plasma gun for injecting magnetic helicity into a spheromak.

Science.gov (United States)

Woodruff, S; Hill, D N; Stallard, B W; Bulmer, R; Cohen, B; Holcomb, C T; Hooper, E B; McLean, H S; Moller, J; Wood, R D

2003-03-07

By operating a magnetized coaxial plasma gun continuously with just sufficient current to enable plasma ejection, large gun-voltage spikes (approximately 1 kV) are produced, giving the highest sustained voltage approximately 500 V and highest sustained helicity injection rate observed in the Sustained Spheromak Physics Experiment. The spheromak magnetic field increases monotonically with time, exhibiting the lowest fluctuation levels observed during formation of any spheromak (B/B>/=2%). The results suggest an important mechanism for field generation by helicity injection, namely, the merging of helicity-carrying filaments.

The geomagnetic field - An explanation for the microturbulence in coaxial gun plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Mather, J. W.; Ahluwalia, H. S.

1988-01-01

The complexity introduced by the geomagnetic field in several regions of a coaxial gun plasma device is described. It is shown that the annihilation of the swept-up geomagnetic flux, trapped within the highly compressed turbulent plasma, provides an explanation for varied performance and experimental results. The results indicate that the device should be aligned along the direction of the local geomagnetic field or enclosed in a mu-metal shield.

High quality ceramic coatings sprayed by high efficiency hypersonic plasma spraying gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Sheng; Xu Binshi; Yao JiuKun

2005-01-01

This paper introduced the structure of the high efficiency hypersonic plasma spraying gun and the effects of hypersonic plasma jet on the sprayed particles. The optimised spraying process parameters for several ceramic powders such as Al 2 O 3 , Cr 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , Cr 3 C 2 and Co-WC were listed. The properties and microstructure of the sprayed ceramic coatings were investigated. Nano Al 2 O 3 -TiO 2 ceramic coating sprayed by using the high efficiency hypersonic plasma spraying was also studied. Compared with the conventional air plasma spraying, high efficiency hypersonic plasma spraying improves greatly the ceramic coatings quality but at low cost. (orig.)

Ignition Features of Plasma-Beam Discharge in Gas-Discharge Electron Gun Operation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valery A. Tutyk

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The current paper presents the results of experimental researches to determine the mode features of plasma-beam discharge (PBD generation by an electron beam injected by a low-vacuum gasdischarge electron gun (LGEG with the cold cathode and hollow anode on the basis of the high-voltage glow discharge and in the range of helium pressure of P ? 10 ÷ 130 Pa. The PBD boundaries and their dependences on parameters of an electron beam are found. The influence of PBD on parameters of low-vacuum gas-discharge electron gun is revealed. It causes an avalanche increase of electron beam current and burning of plasma-beam discharge in the whole space of the vacuum chamber volume and generation of electromagnetic radiation is revealed. Achieved results will be used for implementation of various vacuum technologies in the medium of reaction gas and generated electromagnetic radiation.

Neutron localization measurements from a two-gun plasma focus device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yeh, T.R.; Wen, M.; Tzeng, C.C.; Shang, D.J.; Yeh, C.K.; Wu, K.S.; Kuo, Y.Y.; Hou, W.S.

1989-01-01

The simultaneous formation of the two deuterium plasma foci has been reported recently by Hou, W.S., et al, in Procs I.E.E.E. Int. Conf. on Plasma Science, 1986, 87, in a Mather type two-gun plasma focus assembly with maximum bank energy of ∼700 kJ. In addition, these plasmas will evolve and then produce a disk-shaped plasma in the middle of the two plasma foci. Soft X-ray filter techniques which allow measurements of the electron temperature at both pinch points and the middle point yielded a few hundred eV for these three regions. Neutron localization measurements which were carried out with a collimator and a scintillator-fiber-photomultiplier assembly indicate that an enhancement of ∼80% in neutron yield is observed in the middle region as the separation between two electrodes is 9.1 cm. Further experimental evidence shows that the neutron production in the middle region is the result of the beam-beam interaction in nature. (author)

Understanding the Effect of Gas Dynamics in Plasma Gun Performance for Simulating Fusion Wall Response to Disruption Events

Science.gov (United States)

Riedel, Will; Underwood, Thomas; Righetti, Fabio; Cappelli, Mark

2017-10-01

In this work, the suitability of a pulsed coaxial plasma accelerator to simulate the interaction of edge-localized modes with plasma first wall materials is investigated. Experimental measurements derived from a suite of diagnostics are presented that focus on both the properties of the plasma flow and the manner in which such jets couple with material interfaces. Specific emphasis is placed on quantifying the variation in these properties using tungsten tokens exposed to the plasma plume as the gun volume is progressively filled with more neutral gas. These results are mapped to the operational dynamics of the gun via a time-resolved Schlieren cinematic visualization of the density gradient within the flow. Resulting videos indicate the existence of two distinct modes with vastly different characteristic timescales, spatial evolution, and plasma properties. Time resolved quantification of the associated plasma heat flux for both modes, including a range spanning 150 MW m-2 - 10 GW m-2, is presented using both a fast thermocouple gauge and an IR camera. Both diagnostics in conjunction with a heat transfer model provide an accurate description of the energy transfer dynamics and operational characteristics of plasma guns. This work is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Stewardship Science Academic Program.

Characterization and optimization of the HyperV PLX- α coaxial-gun plasma jet

Science.gov (United States)

Case, Andrew; Brockington, Sam; Cruz, Edward; Witherspoon, F. Douglas

2017-10-01

We present results from characterizing and optimizing performance of the contoured gap coaxial plasma guns under development for the ARPA-E Accelerating Low-Cost Plasma Heating And Assembly (ALPHA) program. Plasma jet diagnostics include fast photodiodes for velocimetry and interferometry for line integrated density. Additionally we present results from spectroscopy, both time resolved high resolution spectroscopy using a novel detector and time integrated survey spectroscopy, for measurements of velocity and temperature as well as impurities. Fast imaging gives plume geometry and time integrated imaging gives overall light emission. Results from a novel long record length camera developed by HyperV will also be presented. Experimental results are compared to the desired target parameters for the plasma jets. The target values for the plasmoid are velocity of 50 km/s, mass of 3.5 mg, and length of 10 cm. The best results so far from the exploration of parameter space for gun operation are: 4 mg at >50 km/s, with a length of 10 cm. Peak axial density 34 cm downstream from the muzzle is 2 ×1016 cm-3. This work supported by the ARPA-E ALPHA Program under contract DE-AR0000566.

Investigation of the residue in an electric rail gun employing a plasma armature

Science.gov (United States)

Bauer, D. P.; Barber, J. P.

1984-01-01

The performance of dc electric rail guns using plasma-armature-accelerated projectiles was studied. It was found that the initial rail launcher acceleration profile was consistent with the simulation, but that after the projectile had traveled approximately 25 to 30 cm along the gun, a considerable portion of the current in the projectile armature commutated into a secondary current path. Also noted were the lower than expected muzzle velocities. It was proposed that the secondary current path was a relatively high conductivity layer of residue on the launcher bore.

ECR ion source with electron gun

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Zu Q.; Lyneis, Claude M.

1993-01-01

An Advanced Electron Cyclotron Resonance ion source (10) having an electron gun (52) for introducing electrons into the plasma chamber (18) of the ion source (10). The ion source (10) has a injection enclosure (12) and a plasma chamber tank (14). The plasma chamber (18) is defined by a plurality of longitudinal magnets (16). The electron gun (52) injects electrons axially into the plasma chamber (18) such that ionization within the plasma chamber (18) occurs in the presence of the additional electrons produced by the electron gun (52). The electron gun (52) has a cathode (116) for emitting electrons therefrom which is heated by current supplied from an AC power supply (96) while bias potential is provided by a bias power supply (118). A concentric inner conductor (60) and Outer conductor (62) carry heating current to a carbon chuck (104) and carbon pusher (114) Which hold the cathode (116) in place and also heat the cathode (16). In the Advanced Electron Cyclotron Resonance ion source (10), the electron gun (52) replaces the conventional first stage used in prior art electron cyclotron resonance ion generators.

Prospects for deflagration guns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, D.Y.; Tripathi, P.P.; Chang, C.N.

1978-01-01

Deflagration is a process of fluid expansion with energy addition. Its existence in plasma physics was first discovered in the back-strapped T-tube experiments. In the coaxial plasma gun configuration the operation can be simple and yet produce a clean, high density (5 x 10 15 cm -3 ), and high kinetic energy (10 to 50 keV) collimated plasma beam. Plasma acceleration mechanism was thought to be driven by J x B force. Tapered electrodes have been used to obtain plasma beams. Scaling of the gun can be performed according to simple theory based on momentum and energy balance. Proposed plasma fueling and injection to magnetic fusion systems will be discussed

Experimental investigation of coaxial-gun-formed plasmas injected into a background transverse magnetic field or plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yue; Fisher, Dustin M.; Gilmore, Mark; Hsu, Scott C.; Lynn, Alan G.

2018-05-01

Injection of coaxial-gun-formed magnetized plasmas into a background transverse vacuum magnetic field or into a background magnetized plasma has been studied in the helicon-cathode (HelCat) linear plasma device at the University of New Mexico [M. Gilmore et al., J. Plasma Phys. 81, 345810104 (2015)]. A magnetized plasma jet launched into a background transverse magnetic field shows emergent kink stabilization of the jet due to the formation of a sheared flow in the jet above the kink stabilization threshold 0.1kVA [Y. Zhang et al., Phys. Plasmas 24, 110702 (2017)]. Injection of a spheromak-like plasma into a transverse background magnetic field led to the observation of finger-like structures on the side with a stronger magnetic field null between the spheromak and the background field. The finger-like structures are consistent with magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability. Jets or spheromaks launched into a background, low-β magnetized plasma show similar behavior as above, respectively, in both cases.

Theory of field-reversed mirrors and field-reversed plasma-gun experiments. Paper IAEA-CN-38/R-2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, D.V.; Auerbach, S.P.; Berk, H.L.

1980-01-01

Experimental and theoretical studies of field reversal in a mirror machine are reported. Plasma-gun experiments demonstrate that reversed-field plasma layers are formed. Low energy plasma flowing behind the initially produced plasma front prevents tearing of the layer from the gun muzzle. MHD simulation shows that tearing can be obtained by impeding the slow plasma flow with a plasma divider. It is demonstrated theoretically that a field-reversed mirror imbedded in a multipole field can be sustained in steady state with neutral-beam injection even in the absence of impurities. MHD stability analysis shows that growth rates of elongated reversed-field theta-pinch configurations decrease with axial extension, which indicates the importance of including finite Larmor radius in the analysis. Tilting-mode criteria are improved by proper shaping, and a problimak shape is proposed. Tearing mode stability of reversed-field theta-pinches is greatly enhanced by flux exclusion. Self-consistent, 1-1/2-dimensional transport codes have been developed, and initial results are presented

Theory of field-reversed mirrors and field-reversed plasma-gun experiments. Paper IAEA-CN-38/R-2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, D.V.; Auerbach, S.P.; Berk, H.L.

1980-01-01

Experimental and theoretical studies of field reversal in a mirror machine are reported. Plasma-gun experiments demonstrate that reversed-field plasma layers are formed. Low energy plasma flowing behind the initially produced plasma front prevents tearing of the layer from the gun muzzle. MHD simulation shows that tearing can be obtained by impeding the slow plasma flow with a plasma divider. It is demonstrated theoretically that a field-reversed mirror imbedded in a multipole field can be sustained in steady state with neutral-beam injection even in the absence of impurities. MHD stability analysis shows that growth rates of elongated reversed-field theta-pinch configurations decrease with axial extension, which indicates the importance of including finite Larmor radius in the analysis. Tilting-mode criteria are dramatically improved by proper shaping, and a problimak shape is proposed. Tearing mode stability of reversed-field theta-pinches is greatly enhanced by flux exclusion. Self-consistent, 1-1/2-dimensional transport codes have been developed, and initial results are presented

Direct morphological comparison of vacuum plasma sprayed and detonation gun sprayed hydroxyapatite coatings for orthopaedic applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Gledhill, H C; Turner, I G; Doyle, C

1999-02-01

Hydroxyapatite coatings on titanium substrates were produced using two thermal spray techniques vacuum plasma spraying and detonation gun spraying. X-ray diffraction was used to compare crystallinity and residual stresses in the coatings. Porosity was measured using optical microscopy in conjunction with an image analysis system. Scanning electron microscopy and surface roughness measurements were used to characterise the surface morphologies of the coatings. The vacuum plasma sprayed coatings were found to have a lower residual stress, a higher crystallinity and a higher level of porosity than the detonation gun coatings. It is concluded that consideration needs to be given to the significance of such variations within the clinical context.

Design and operation of a coaxial plasma gun at magnetic fields exceeding 0.5 megagauss

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Conte, D.; Bird, G.; Boyer, C.; Davis, J.; Seiler, S.; Turchi, P.

1981-01-01

The use of coaxial plasma guns to accumulate and concentrate electromagnetic and kinetic energy at high currents and power flux levels has been examined experimentally. For these studies, apparatus was designed to employ magnetic fields approaching 1MG, using the AFWL Shiva capacitor bank as the current source (1.9 MJ, 120 KV). The design divided the system into two major component regions: 1) a reusable cylindrical transition to the Shiva bank, an 2) disposable guns and feed plates

Application of electron beam equipment based on a plasma cathode gun in additive technology

Science.gov (United States)

Galchenko, N. K.; Kolesnikova, K. A.; Semenov, G. V.; Rau, A. G.; Raskoshniy, S. Y.; Bezzubko, A. V.; Dampilon, B. V.; Sorokova, S. N.

2016-11-01

The paper discusses the application of electron beam equipment based on a plasma cathode gun for three-dimensional surface modification of metals and alloys. The effect of substrate surface preparation on the adhesion strength of gas thermal coatings has been investigated.

Hard-driven rail-gun tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterson, D.R.; Adams, D.F.; Cummings, C.E.; Fowler, C.M.; Kerrisk, J.F.; Marsh, S.P.; Parker, J.V.

1983-01-01

A number of prototype rail-gun designs have been tested, powered by explosive magnetic flux compression generators. Peak currents as high as 1.3 MA were delivered. Rail guns with 50-mm-thick Kevlar fiberwound structural shells were able to survive these high currents with minimum mechanical damage and were refired after enlarging the bores 0.2 to 0.4 mm to remove arc damage. In some tests, mechanical damage occurred that was apparently caused by the rebound of the gun after firing. Although the Kevlar shells had more than adequate strength, they appeared to lack sufficient stiffness, allowing excessive deflections. The use of a steel structural shell with a Kevlar sleeve was an improvement. Intrusion into the seams of the rail guns and condensation of material from the plasma armature were observed. Improved sealing of seams is indicated. In some cases, we suspect maldistribution of current within the gun; that is, not all the current delivered to the breech of the gun seemed to reach the plasma armature. Experiments are being designed to quantify the effects discussed. Rail guns of advanced design are being fabricated. An 18-g titanium projectile was accelerated to 2.4 km/s in a 16-mm-round-bore, 0.6-m-long gun, 4-6 g polycarbonate projectiles were accelerated to 3.5 km/s in 13-mm-square-bore, 1.2-m-long rail guns. All tests were conducted at atmospheric pressure

Velocity limitations in coaxial plasma gun experiments with gas mixtures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Axnaes, I.

1976-04-01

The velocity limitations found in many crossed field plasma experiments with neutral gas present are studied for binary mixtures of H 2 , He, N 2 O 2 , Ne and Ar. The apparatus used is a coaxial plasma gun with an azimuthal magnetic bias field. The discharge parameters are chosen so that the plasma is weakly ionized. In some of the mixtures it is found that one of the components tends to dominate in the sense that only a small amount (regarding volume) of that component is needed for the discharge to adopt a limiting velocity close to that for the pure component. Thus in a mixture between a heavy and a light component having nearly equal ionization potentials the heavy component dominates. Also if there is a considerable difference in ionization potential between the components, the component with the lowest ionization potential tends to dominate. (author)

Coaxial plasma gun in the high density regime and injection into a helical field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schaer, S.F.

1994-02-01

A modified coaxial gun in the high density regime of 20-70 mT of He restgas, energized by a 1200 HV sinusoidally damped capacitor discharge with peak currents of 86 kA in the potential range of 10-15 kV, was investigated. The acceleration of the current sheet inside the gun was studied, and an MHD current element model derived, in good agreement with experiment, indicating that thermal diffusion can be neglected during the acceleration phase and furthermore explains the sheet velocity limitation. At the muzzle the plasma is magnetized by inducing a toroidal current through a permanent radial field, generating poloidal field. The injection of the generated current-carrying plasma torus into the driftspace was studied by means of a diamagnetic probe array, for 1) toroidal bias field, and 2) helical bias field. The inner electrode (negative polarity) is continued into the driftspace by a considerably thinner, pyrex insulated central conductor, generating the toroidal bias. Quasi-Tokamak geometry is reached in the helical case. The necessary axial bias field strength was then calculated. Second half-period breakdown was observed, thus a positive electrode was present most of the time. This is a unique way to achieve autopreionisation. Plasma gun operation is very much breakdown dependent, specially in the region of the muzzle. This made it necessary to construct a special compensation coil for the axial field coil. The mean torus speed in the driftspace was 2.2 cm/μsec. The tori were azimuthally homogeneous and exhibited enhanced stability. Transverse expansion at ejection and in the driftspace is prevented by a unique rarefaction wave-pattern resulting from the Mach 50 flow. The toroidal current was observed to decay continuously, not abruptly. No n type or oscillatory instabilities were encountered. These findings are important for future designs of guns where a stable and homogenous torus is needed, such as magnetic confinement injectors. (author) 39 figs., 38 refs

Coaxial plasma gun in the high density regime and injection into a helical field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schaer, S.F. [Ecole Polytechnique Federale, Lausanne (Switzerland). Centre de Recherche en Physique des Plasma (CRPP)

1994-02-01

A modified coaxial gun in the high density regime of 20-70 mT of He restgas, energized by a 1200 HV sinusoidally damped capacitor discharge with peak currents of 86 kA in a potential range of 10-15 kV, was investigated. The acceleration of the current sheet inside the gun was studied, and an MHD current element model derived, in good agreement with experiment, indicating that thermal diffusion can be neglected during the acceleration phase and furthermore explains the sheet velocity limitation. At the muzzle the plasma is magnetized by inducing a toroidal current through a permanent radial field, generating poloidal field. The injection of the generated current-carrying plasma torus into the driftspace was studied by means of a diamagnetic probe array, for 1) toroidal bias field, and 2) helical bias field. The inner electrode (negative polarity) is continued into the driftspace by a considerably thinner, pyrex insulated central conductor, generating the toroidal bias. Quasi-Tokamak geometry is reached in the helical case. The necessary axial bias field strength was then calculated. Second half-period breakdown was observed, thus a positive electrode was present most of the time. This is a unique way to achieve autopreionisation. Plasma gun operation is very much breakdown dependent, specially in the region of the muzzle. This made it necessary to construct a special compensation coil for the axial field coil. The mean torus speed in the driftspace was 2.2 cm/{mu}sec. The tori were azimuthally homogeneous and exhibited enhanced stability. Transverse expansion at ejection and in the driftspace is prevented by a unique rarefaction wave-pattern resulting from the Mach 50 flow. The toroidal current was observed to decay continuously, not abruptly. No n type or oscillatory instabilities were encountered. These findings are important for future designs of guns where a stable and homogenous torus is needed, such as magnetic confinement injectors. (author) 39 figs., 38 refs.

Measurements of line-averaged electron density of pulsed plasmas using a He-Ne laser interferometer in a magnetized coaxial plasma gun device

Science.gov (United States)

Iwamoto, D.; Sakuma, I.; Kitagawa, Y.; Kikuchi, Y.; Fukumoto, N.; Nagata, M.

2012-10-01

In next step of fusion devices such as ITER, lifetime of plasma-facing materials (PFMs) is strongly affected by transient heat and particle loads during type I edge localized modes (ELMs) and disruption. To clarify damage characteristics of the PFMs, transient heat and particle loads have been simulated by using a plasma gun device. We have performed simulation experiments by using a magnetized coaxial plasma gun (MCPG) device at University of Hyogo. The line-averaged electron density measured by a He-Ne interferometer is 2x10^21 m-3 in a drift tube. The plasma velocity measured by a time of flight technique and ion Doppler spectrometer was 70 km/s, corresponding to the ion energy of 100 eV for helium. Thus, the ion flux density is 1.4x10^26 m-2s-1. On the other hand, the MCPG is connected to a target chamber for material irradiation experiments. It is important to measure plasma parameters in front of target materials in the target chamber. In particular, a vapor cloud layer in front of the target material produced by the pulsed plasma irradiation has to be characterized in order to understand surface damage of PFMs under ELM-like plasma bombardment. In the conference, preliminary results of application of the He-Ne laser interferometer for the above experiment will be shown.

Diagnostic Suite for HyperV Coaxial Plasma Gun Development for the PLX- α Project

Science.gov (United States)

Case, Andrew; Brockington, Sam; Witherspoon, F. Douglas

2015-11-01

We present the diagnostic suite to be used during development of the coaxial guns HyperV will deliver to LANL in support of the ARPA-E Accelerating Low-Cost Plasma Heating And Assembly (ALPHA) program. For plasma jet diagnostics this includes fast photodiodes for velocimetry, a ballistic pendulum for measuring total plasmoid momentum, interferometry for line integrated plasma density, deflectometry for line integrated perpendicular density gradient measurements, and spectroscopy, both time resolved high resolution spectroscopy using a novel detector developed by HyperV and time integrated survey spectroscopy, for measurements of velocity and temperature as well as impurities. In addition, we plan to use fast pressure probes for stagnation pressure, a Faraday cup for density, fast imaging for plume geometry and time integrated imaging for overall light emission. A novel low resolution long record length camera developed by HyperV will also be used for plume diagnostics. For diagnostics of gun operation, we will use Rogowski coils to measure current, voltage dividers for voltages, B-dot probes for magnetic field, and time resolved fast photodiodes to measure plasmoid velocity inside the accelerator. This work supported by the ARPA-E ALPHA program.

Development of a low-energy and high-current pulsed neutral beam injector with a washer-gun plasma source for high-beta plasma experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Ii, Toru; Gi, Keii; Umezawa, Toshiyuki; Asai, Tomohiko; Inomoto, Michiaki; Ono, Yasushi

2012-08-01

We have developed a novel and economical neutral-beam injection system by employing a washer-gun plasma source. It provides a low-cost and maintenance-free ion beam, thus eliminating the need for the filaments and water-cooling systems employed conventionally. In our primary experiments, the washer gun produced a source plasma with an electron temperature of approximately 5 eV and an electron density of 5 × 10(17) m(-3), i.e., conditions suitable for ion-beam extraction. The dependence of the extracted beam current on the acceleration voltage is consistent with space-charge current limitation, because the observed current density is almost proportional to the 3/2 power of the acceleration voltage below approximately 8 kV. By optimizing plasma formation, we successfully achieved beam extraction of up to 40 A at 15 kV and a pulse length in excess of 0.25 ms. Its low-voltage and high-current pulsed-beam properties enable us to apply this high-power neutral beam injection into a high-beta compact torus plasma characterized by a low magnetic field.

Optimizing hot-ion production from a gas-injected washer gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCarrick, M.J.; Ellis, R.F.; Booske, J.H.; Koepke, M.

1987-01-01

This paper reports the results of a study to maximize the ion temperature of the plasma generated by a gas-injected washer gun. We characterize the gun discharge and the plasma output as a function of the controllable gun parameters. For hydrogen we find a maximum ion temperature of 100 eV with typical densities ranging from 2 x 10 11 to 5 x 10 12 cm -3 . A primary feature of the pulsed gun discharge is the observation of large amplitude rf fluctuations on the cathode voltage. The fluctuation amplitude varies with discharge current and with the quantity of injected gas. We show that the scaling of the fluctuation level with gun parameters is in agreement with that expected of an unstable beam-plasma system. We find a linear relation between the square of the fluctuation amplitude and the product of the plasma density times the ion temperature of the plasma output nT/sub i/, suggesting a stochastic wave-induced heating mechanism

Study of a plasma produced in a neutral gas chamber by the injection of a beam generated by a coaxial gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castell, R.; Sanchez, A.; Mandelbaum, D.

1982-01-01

The design and operation of a plasma coaxial gun is described. The penetration and characteristics of the plasma emitted by the gun propagating in a expansion chamber with helium at 40 feBar is analyzed. The diagnostics is made with a double Langmuir probe observing the time variation of the electronic density along the propagation axis. Optical spectroscopy is used to measure one of the emission lines of the plasma radiation propaganting in the medium. The space-time description of the ion distribution function in a free-force field is made by the fit of an analytical model. (L.C.) [pt

Current distribution measurements inside an electromagnetic plasma gun operated in a gas-puff mode

OpenAIRE

Poehlmann, Flavio R.; Cappelli, Mark A.; Rieker, Gregory B.

2010-01-01

Measurements are presented of the time-dependent current distribution inside a coaxial electromagnetic plasma gun. The measurements are carried out using an array of six axially distributed dual-Rogowski coils in a balanced circuit configuration. The radial current distributions indicate that operation in the gas-puff mode, i.e., the mode in which the electrode voltage is applied before injection of the gas, results in a stationary ionization front consistent with the presence of a plasma def...

Miniature pulsed vacuum arc plasma gun and apparatus for thin-film fabrication

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Ian G.; MacGill, Robert A.; Galvin, James E.; Ogletree, David F.; Salmeron, Miquel

1998-01-01

A miniature (dime-size in cross-section) vapor vacuum arc plasma gun is described for use in an apparatus to produce thin films. Any conductive material can be layered as a film on virtually any substrate. Because the entire apparatus can easily be contained in a small vacuum chamber, multiple dissimilar layers can be applied without risk of additional contamination. The invention has special applications in semiconductor manufacturing.

Generation of Low-Energy High-Current Electron Beams in Plasma-Anode Electron Guns

Science.gov (United States)

Ozur, G. E.; Proskurovsky, D. I.

2018-01-01

This paper is a review of studies on the generation of low-energy high-current electron beams in electron guns with a plasma anode and an explosive-emission cathode. The problems related to the initiation of explosive electron emission under plasma and the formation and transport of high-current electron beams in plasma-filled systems are discussed consecutively. Considerable attention is given to the nonstationary effects that occur in the space charge layers of plasma. Emphasis is also placed on the problem of providing a uniform energy density distribution over the beam cross section, which is of critical importance in using electron beams of this type for surface treatment of materials. Examples of facilities based on low-energy high-current electron beam sources are presented and their applications in materials science and practice are discussed.

Characteristics of a wire ion plasma source and a secondary emission electron gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hotta, Eiki; Osawa, Teruya; Urai, Hajime; Suzuki, Mitsuaki; Yasui, Hiroyuki; Tamagawa, Tohru

1993-01-01

Electrical characteristics of a wire ion plasma source (WIPS) and a secondary emission electron gun, for which the WIPS is used as an ion source, will be reported. The WIPS is a cold-cathode gaseous discharge device, in which a radial electron trapping permits an extremely low pressure gaseous discharge with very low applied voltages. The time evolutions of temperature and density of afterglow plasma were measured with a double probe. In the case of P 0 = 25 mTorr He and the maximum discharge current of 200 A, the temperature and density of electron were about 20 eV and of the order of 10 18 m -3 , respectively, just after the distinction of discharge. The ion current density measured by a biased ion collector (BIC) on the discharge tube wall was found to reach up to 300 mA/cm 2 . A secondary emission electron gun was set on the discharge tube wall opposite to the BIC. An earthed mesh net is installed at a height of 8 mm just in front of the cathode. The maximum negative bias voltage applied to the cathode is limited to -50 kV by the local breakdown in the gun, which occurred synchronously with the WIPS discharge. The electron beam current was measured by the BIC, in which an aluminum foil with a width of 2 μm was placed on instead of the earthed mesh net. At the cathode voltage of -30 kV, the measured beam current density was 220 mA/cm 2 . The extraporation of the resulted curve indicates that if the cathode voltage is -100 kV, the current density will reach to 1 A/cm 2 . The energy spectrum of the electron beam was measured with a magnetic energy analyzer, which was set in place of the BIC. The energy spread is about 300 eV at the central energy of 40 keV. Thus, they demonstrated the possibility of a high current density secondary emission electron gun, for which a WIPS is used as an ion source

Compact 5 x 1012 AMP/SEC rail-gun pulser for a laser plasma shutter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bradley, L.P.; Orham, E.L.; Stowers, I.F.

1979-01-01

We have developed a rail-gun plasma source to produce a plasma of 10 12 cm -3 particle density and project it with a velocity of 3.9 cm/μs. This device will be used in a output spatial filter of Nova to project a critical density plasma across an optical beam path and block laser retroreflected light. The object of this paper is to describe the design of a pulser appropriate to the Shiva laser fusion facility, and to describe the preliminary design of a higher current prototype pulser for Nova the laser fusion research facility under construction at Lawrence Livermore Laboratory

Critical ionisation velocity and the dynamics of a coaxial plasma gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raadu, M.A.

1978-01-01

The dynamics of an ionising wave in a coaxial plasma gun with an azimuthal bias magnetic field is analysed in a theoretical model. Only the radial dependence is treated and instead of including a treatment of the energy balance two separate physical assumptions are made. In the first case it is assumed that the total internal electric field is given by the critical ionisation velocity condition and in the second that the ionisation rate is constant. For consistency wall sheaths are assumed to match the internal plasma potential to that of the walls. On the basis of momentum and particle balance the radial dependence of the electron density, current density, electric field and drift velocity are found. An electron source is required at the cathode and the relative contribution from ionisation within the plasma is deduced. The assumption that there are no ion sources at the electrodes leads to a restriction on the possible values of the axial electric field. (author)

Development of intense pulsed heavy ion beam diode using gas puff plasma gun as ion source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ito, H.; Higashiyama, M.; Takata, S.; Kitamura, I.; Masugata, K.

2006-01-01

A magnetically insulated ion diode with an active ion source of a gas puff plasma gun has been developed in order to generate a high-intensity pulsed heavy ion beam for the implantation process of semiconductors and the surface modification of materials. The nitrogen plasma produced by the plasma gun is injected into the acceleration gap of the diode with the external magnetic field system. The ion diode is operated at diode voltage approx. =200 kV, diode current approx. =2 kA and pulse duration approx. =150 ns. A new acceleration gap configuration for focusing ion beam has been designed in order to enhance the ion current density. The experimental results show that the ion current density is enhanced by a factor of 2 and the ion beam has the ion current density of 27 A/cm 2 . In addition, the coaxial type Marx generator with voltage 200 kV and current 15 kA has been developed and installed in the focus type ion diode. The ion beam of ion current density approx. =54 A/cm 2 is obtained. To produce metallic ion beams, an ion source by aluminum wire discharge has been developed and the aluminum plasma of ion current density ∼70 A/cm 2 is measured. (author)

Coaxial gun parameters and X-ray emission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soliman, H.M.; El-Aragi, G.M.; Saudy, A.H.; Masoud, M.M.

1994-01-01

The paper presents the results of investigation with 3 kJ coaxial plasma gun, which operated with argon gas at pressure 0.8 torr. The coaxial plasma gun parameters are investigated by pick up coils, double electric probe, and x-ray probe. The mean electron temperature and density of the ejected plasma are 25 eV and 10 15 cm -3 respectively. The maximum kinetic pressure of the ejected plasma in the expansion chamber appears after 10 μs from the start of the discharge current. The energetic electrons is detected by an x-ray probe which showed a single pulse of electrons with energy ≅ 3 Kev. (orig.)

Laboratory Simulations of CME-Solar Wind Interactions Using a Coaxial Gun and Background Plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Wallace, B. H.; Zhang, Y.; Fisher, D.; Gilmore, M.

2016-12-01

Understanding and predicting solar coronal mass ejections (CMEs) is of critical importance for mitigating their disruptive behavior on ground- and space-based technologies. While predictive models of CME propagation and evolution have relied primarily on sparse in-situ data along with ground and satellite images for validation purposes, emerging laboratory efforts have shown that CME-like events can be created with parameters applicable to the solar regime that may likewise aid in predictive modeling. A modified version of the coaxial plasma gun from the Plasma Bubble Expansion Experiment (PBEX) [A. G. Lynn, Y. Zhang, S. C. Hsu, H. Li, W. Liu, M. Gilmore, and C. Watts, Bull. Amer. Phys. Soc. 52, 53 (2007)] will be used in conjunction with the Helicon-Cathode (HelCat) basic plasma science device in order to observe the magnetic characteristics of CMEs as they propagate through the solar wind. The evolution of these interactions will be analyzed using a multi-tip Langmuir probe array, a 33-position B-dot probe array, and a high speed camera. The results of this investigation will be used alongside the University of Michigan's BATS-R-US 3-D MHD numerical code, which will be used to perform simulations of the coaxial plasma gun experiment. The results of these two approaches will be compared in order to validate the capabilities of the BATS-R-US code as well as to further our understanding of magnetic reconnection and other processes that take place as CMEs propagate through the solar wind. The details of the experimental setup as well as the analytical approach are discussed.

Plasma-gun-assisted field-reversed configuration formation in a conical θ-pinch

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weber, T. E., E-mail: tweber@lanl.gov; Intrator, T. P. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States); Smith, R. J. [Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195 (United States)

2015-04-15

Injection of plasma via an annular array of coaxial plasma guns during the pre-ionization phase of field-reversed configuration (FRC) formation is shown to catalyze the bulk ionization of a neutral gas prefill in the presence of a strong axial magnetic field and change the character of outward flux flow during field-reversal from a convective process to a much slower resistive diffusion process. This approach has been found to significantly improve FRC formation in a conical θ-pinch, resulting in a ∼350% increase in trapped flux at typical operating conditions, an expansion of accessible formation parameter space to lower densities and higher temperatures, and a reduction or elimination of several deleterious effects associated with the pre-ionization phase.

Plasma-gun-assisted field-reversed configuration formation in a conical θ-pinch

Science.gov (United States)

Weber, T. E.; Intrator, T. P.; Smith, R. J.

2015-04-01

Injection of plasma via an annular array of coaxial plasma guns during the pre-ionization phase of field-reversed configuration (FRC) formation is shown to catalyze the bulk ionization of a neutral gas prefill in the presence of a strong axial magnetic field and change the character of outward flux flow during field-reversal from a convective process to a much slower resistive diffusion process. This approach has been found to significantly improve FRC formation in a conical θ-pinch, resulting in a ˜350% increase in trapped flux at typical operating conditions, an expansion of accessible formation parameter space to lower densities and higher temperatures, and a reduction or elimination of several deleterious effects associated with the pre-ionization phase.

Atmospheric pressure DBD gun and its application in ink printability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Qiang; Zhang Yuefei; Han Erli; Ge Yuanjing

2005-01-01

In this paper, a plasma source discharging at atmospheric pressure and its characterization diagnosed by a Langmuir probe and a digital camera are presented. As an application the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) gun modifying an ultraviolet cured resin surface for ink printability is reported. The results from the digital camera indicate the uniformity and homogeneity of the plasma generated from the gun in the downstream but depending on the input power, diameter of electrodes, gas flow rates and the distance between the substrates and the nozzle. The contact angle measurement proves the efficiency of gun during the surface modification. The ink printability following DBD gun processing described here was significantly improved. The performed surface analysis using Fourier transform infrared indicates that the polarity of surface grafted in plasma is responsible for the film printability

Results of the AFWL deflagration gun experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hackett, K.E.; Baker, W.L.; Beason, J.D.

1987-01-01

The snowplow and deflagration modes of coaxial plasma gun operation have been experimentally investigated and computationally simulated at the Air Force Weapons Laboratory. The snowplow mode occurs when the gun is prefilled to a uniform gas density. The initial breakdown forms near the insulator at the gun breech. It heats the gas and creates a shock wave that travels down the gun, ionizing gas and producing a thin current sheath that travels just behind the shock front. The shock front piles up the gas in front of itself as it moves down the gun - hence the name ''snowplow''. Deflagration occurs when gas is injected into an evacuated gun so that the initial breakdown forms as the gas fills the gun. The ionized gas is accelerated into the vacuum region carrying current and magnetic field with it. A quasi-stationary diffuse discharge develops. Gas still entering the gun is processed through the deflagrating discharge and accelerated out the gun muzzle

Deposition of SiOx on Metal Surface with a DBD Plasma Gun at Atmospheric Pressure for Corrosion Prevention

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han Erli; Chen Qiang; Zhang Yuefei; Chen Fei; Ge Yuanjing

2007-01-01

In this study, SiO x films were deposited by a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma gun at an atmospheric pressure. The relationship of the film structures with plasma powers was investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). It was shown that an uniform and cross-linking structure film was formed by the DBD gun. As an application, the SiO x films were deposited on a carbon steel surface for the anti-corrosion purpose. The experiment was carried out in a 0.1 M NaCl solution. It was found that a very good anti-corrosive property was obtained, i.e., the corrosion rate was decreased c.a. 15 times in 5% NaCl solution compared to the non-SiO x coated steel, as detected by the potentiodynamic polarization measurement

Experimental and theoretical study of plasma-water interaction in electrothermal guns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arensburg, Alex.

1993-05-01

This thesis comprises an experimental and theoretical study of the plasma- jet-water interaction in electrothermal guns. In the present work the plasma jet was produced by high current pulsed discharge in a plasma injector consisting of polyethylene capillary, closed at one end by a metallic anode and supported at the other end with a hollow cathode. A thin aluminium fuse placed inside the capillary and connecting both electrodes, provided an initial conducting element. A pulse forming network delivering a high current pulse through the fuse, exploded it and produced an aluminium plasma. Subsequently, ablation of the capillary wall begun as a result of its exposure to radiation from the fuse plasma. The ablation products were heated by the pulse current until ionized, replacing the fuse plasma by a polyethylene plasma thus sustaining the ablation process. The experimental investigation reported here used x-ray shadowgraphy to observe the plasma-working fluid interaction process. The working fluid was an aqueous solution of 92% water and 8% lead acetate gelatinized with agar. The penetration of the plasma jet into the working fluid was exposed on films at successive time intervals by means of x-ray shadowgraphy. When the water interacts with the plasma it also ablated. This ablation rate was estimated from energy conservation considerations. Peak pressures up to 3.5*10 8 Pa were measured during the process. At such pressure water does not undergo phase transformation when heated. Thus the mass density at the plasma water interface should be regarded as a continuous function of temperature. The determination of the temperature profile at the interface between the capillary plasma and the water requires the solution of the heat transfer and radiative transfer equations under ablation conditions. This constituted the main theoretical part of the present work. 36 refs., 4 tabs., 29 figs

A comparative study of tribological behavior of plasma and D-gun sprayed coatings under different wear modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sundararajan, G.; Rao, D.S.; Prasad, K.U.M.; Joshi, S.V.

1998-01-01

In recent years, thermal sprayed protective coatings have gained widespread acceptance for a variety of industrial applications. A vast majority of these applications involve the use of thermal sprayed coatings to combat wear. While plasma spraying is the most versatile variant of all the thermal spray processes, the detonation gun (D-gun) coatings have been a novelty until recently because of their proprietary nature. The present study is aimed at comparing the tribological behavior of coatings deposited using the two above techniques by focusing on some popular coating materials that are widely adopted for wear resistant applications, namely, WC-12% Co, Al 2 O 3 , and Cr 3 C 2 -NiCr. To enable a comprehensive comparison of the above indicated thermal spray techniques as well as coating materials, the deposited coatings were extensively characterized employing microstructural evaluation, microhardness measurements, and XRD analysis for phase constitution. The behavior of these coatings under different wear modes was also evaluated by determining their tribological performance when subjected to solid particle erosion tests, rubber wheel sand abrasion tests, and pin-on-disk sliding wear tests. Among all the coating materials studied, D-gun sprayed WC-12% Co, in general, yields the best performance under different modes of wear, whereas plasma sprayed Al 2 O 3 shows least wear resistance to every wear mode

Diagnostics and results from coaxial plasma gun development for the PLX- α project

Science.gov (United States)

Case, A.; Brockington, S.; Cruz, E.; Witherspoon, F. D.

2016-10-01

We present results from the diagnostics used during development of the contoured gap coaxial plasma guns for the PLX- α project at LANL. Plasma-jet diagnostics include fast photodiodes for velocimetry, a ballistic pendulum for total plasmoid momentum, and interferometry for line integrated density. Deflectometry will be used for line integrated perpendicular density gradients. Time-resolved high-resolution spectroscopy using a novel detector and time-integrated survey spectroscopy are used for measurements of velocity and temperature, as well as impurities. We will also use a Faraday cup for density, fast imaging for plume geometry, and time-integrated imaging for overall light emission. Experimental results are compared to the desired target parameters for the plasma jets (up to n 2 ×1016cm-3 , v 50km / s , mass 5gm , radius = 4cm , and length 10cm). This work supported by the ARPA-E ALPHA Program.

ION GUN

Science.gov (United States)

Dandl, R.A.

1961-10-24

An ion gun is described for the production of an electrically neutral ionized plasma. The ion gun comprises an anode and a cathode mounted in concentric relationship with a narrow annulus between. The facing surfaces of the rear portions of the anode and cathode are recessed to form an annular manifold. Positioned within this manifold is an annular intermediate electrode aligned with the an nulus between the anode and cathode. Gas is fed to the manifold and an arc discharge is established between the anode and cathode. The gas is then withdrawn from the manifold through the annulus between the anode and cathode by a pressure differential. The gas is then ionized by the arc discharge across the annulus. The ionized gas is withdrawn from the annulus by the combined effects of the pressure differential and a collimating magnetic field. In a 3000 gauss magnetic field, an arc voltage of 1800 volts, and an arc current of 0.2 amp, a plasma of about 3 x 10/sup 11/ particles/cc is obtained. (AEC)

Engineering design of the PLX- α coaxial gun

Science.gov (United States)

Cruz, E.; Brockington, S.; Case, A.; Luna, M.; Witherspoon, F. D.; Thio, Y. C. Francis; PLX-α Team

2017-10-01

We describe the engineering and technical improvements, as well as provide a detailed overview of the design choices, of the latest PLX- α coaxial gun designed for the 60-gun scaling study of spherically imploding plasma liners as a standoff driver for plasma-jet-driven magneto-inertial fusion. Each coaxial gun incorporates a fast, dense gas injection and triggering system, a compact low-weight pfn with integral sparkgap switching, and a contoured gap designed to suppress the blow-by instability. The evolution of the latest Alpha gun is presented with emphasis on its upgraded performance. Changes include a faster more robust gas valve, better-quality ceramic insulator material and enhancements to overall design layout. These changes result in a gun with increased repeatability, reduced potential failure modes, improved fault tolerance and better than expected efficiency. A custom 600- μF, 5-kV pfn and a set of six inline sparkgap switches operated in parallel are mounted directly to the back of the gun, and are designed to reduce inductance, cost, and complexity, maximize efficiency and system reliability, and ensure symmetric current flow. This work supported by the ARPA-E ALPHA Program under contract DE-AR0000566 and Strong Atomics, LLC.

Development of a two-stage light gas gun to accelerate hydrogen pellets to high speeds for plasma fueling applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Combs, S.K.; Milora, S.L.; Foust, C.R.; Gouge, M.J.; Fehling, D.T.; Sparks, D.O.

1988-01-01

The development of a two-stage light gas gun to accelerate hydrogen isotope pellets to high speeds is under way at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. High velocities (>2 km/s) are desirable for plasma fueling applications, since the faster pellets can penetrate more deeply into large, hot plasmas and deposit atoms of fuel directly in a larger fraction of the plasma volume. In the initial configuration of the two-stage device, a 2.2-l volume (/ 3 for frozen hydrogen isotopes). However, the use of sabots to encase and protect the cryogenic pellets from the high peak pressures will probably be required to realize speeds of ∼3 km/s or greater. The experimental plan includes acceleration of hydrogen isotopes as soon as the gun geometry and operating parameters are optimized; theoretical models are being used to aid in this process. The hardware is being designed to accommodate repetitive operation, which is the objective of this research and is required for future applications. 25 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab

Current distribution measurements inside an electromagnetic plasma gun operated in a gas-puff mode.

Science.gov (United States)

Poehlmann, Flavio R; Cappelli, Mark A; Rieker, Gregory B

2010-12-01

Measurements are presented of the time-dependent current distribution inside a coaxial electromagnetic plasma gun. The measurements are carried out using an array of six axially distributed dual-Rogowski coils in a balanced circuit configuration. The radial current distributions indicate that operation in the gas-puff mode, i.e., the mode in which the electrode voltage is applied before injection of the gas, results in a stationary ionization front consistent with the presence of a plasma deflagration. The effects of varying the bank capacitance, transmission line inductance, and applied electrode voltage were studied over the range from 14 to 112 μF, 50 to 200 nH, and 1 to 3 kV, respectively.

Co-axial electrodes gun characteristics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Masoud, M.M.; Soliman, H.M.

1981-01-01

A coaxial electrodes gun is constructed with inner electrode diameter of 3.2 cm; outer electrode diameter of 6.6 cm and length of 25 cm it is connected to a condenser bank which delivers 4 K joule stored energy. The maximum power of the discharge is equal to 4.5x10 4 K watt; for 5 KV charging voltage. The inductance showed two main peak values of 0.257μH and 0.27μH. Theoretical calculations using one-dimension-single fluid model is μ sed, which shows that the maximum acceleration is at 0.5 sec, and the gas breakdown takes place at the gun breech; at the start of the discharge, will leave the gun after 1.625μ sec, also the drift velocity, the force and the magnetic field are given. The measured results show quite reasonable agreement with the calculations for most of the results, and the position of the plasma sheath inside the gun slightly deviated from the theoretical calculations due to viscosity and wall interaction, as well as other parameters which did not be take into consideration. The plasma current density of the sheath has its maximum value at Z=18 cm, the plasma will leave the coaxial source after 1.5μ sec, from the start of the discharge, which conferms with the theoretical model. Resistance of the gas between the electrodes, changes with time according to the particle injected from this source, and the maximum efficiency of the installation for charging voltage 5kV and pressure 80μ Hg is at approx.=10μ sec and 20.5μ sec

In vitro fatigue behaviour of vacuum plasma and detonation gun sprayed hydroxyapatite coatings.

Science.gov (United States)

Gledhill, H C; Turner, I G; Doyle, C

2001-06-01

The fatigue behaviour of vacuum plasma sprayed (VPS) and detonation gun sprayed (DGUN) hydroxyapatite coatings on titanium substrates has been compared in air and in buffered Ringer's solution. There was an increase in the surface microcracking and bulk porosity of both types of coating tested in air. After 1 million cycles in Ringer's solution the VPS coatings had completely delaminated from their substrates. In contrast the DGUN coatings retained their integrity when tested up to 10 million cycles but were beginning to show signs of delamination at the interface.

Coaxial-gun design and testing for the PLX- α Project

Science.gov (United States)

Witherspoon, F. Douglas; Brockington, Samuel; Case, Andrew; Cruz, Edward; Luna, Marco; Langendorf, Samuel

2016-10-01

We describe the Alpha coaxial gun designed for a 60-gun scaling study of spherically imploding plasma liners as a standoff driver for plasma-jet-driven magneto-inertial fusion (PJMIF). The guns operate over a range of parameters: 0.5-5.0 mg of Ar, Ne, N2, Kr, and Xe; 20-60 km/s; 2 × 1016 cm-3 muzzle density; and up to 7.5 kJ stored energy per gun. Each coaxial gun incorporates a fast dense gas injection and triggering system, a compact low-weight pfn with integral sparkgap switching, and a contoured gap designed to suppress the blow-by instability. The latest design iteration incorporates a faster more robust gas valve, an improved electrode contour, a custom 600- μF, 5-kV pfn, and six inline sparkgap switches operated in parallel. The switch and pfn are mounted directly to the back of the gun and are designed to reduce inductance, cost, and complexity, maximize efficiency and system reliability, and ensure symmetric current flow. We provide a brief overview of the design choices, the projected performance over the parameter ranges mentioned above, and experimental results from testing of the PLX- α coaxial gun. This work supported by the ARPA-E ALPHA Program.

Low Energy Electron Gun on Board a Scientific Satellite GEOTAIL

OpenAIRE

TSUTSUI, Minoru; ONISHI, Yoshiaki; MATSUMOTO, Hiroshi; KIMURA, Iwane; 筒井, 稔; 大西, 嘉昭; 松本, 紘; 木村, 磐根

1988-01-01

A low energy electron gun to be used for beam-plasma interaction experiments by a scientific satellite GEOTAIL has been designed and manufactured. Electrodes of the gun have been modified from the Pierce type gun because of the use of a directly heated cathode. Spatial density distributions of beam electrons emitted from the new gun have been measured in a large vacuum chamber, and characteristic curves of emission currents for some beam energies and cathode powers have been checked repeatedl...

Coaxial carbon plasma gun deposition of amorphous carbon films

Science.gov (United States)

Sater, D. M.; Gulino, D. A.; Rutledge, S. K.

1984-01-01

A unique plasma gun employing coaxial carbon electrodes was used in an attempt to deposit thin films of amorphous diamond-like carbon. A number of different structural, compositional, and electrical characterization techniques were used to characterize these films. These included scanning electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, X ray diffraction and absorption, spectrographic analysis, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and selected area electron diffraction. Optical absorption and electrical resistivity measurements were also performed. The films were determined to be primarily amorphous, with poor adhesion to fused silica substrates. Many inclusions of particulates were found to be present as well. Analysis of these particulates revealed the presence of trace impurities, such as Fe and Cu, which were also found in the graphite electrode material. The electrodes were the source of these impurities. No evidence of diamond-like crystallite structure was found in any of the film samples. Details of the apparatus, experimental procedure, and film characteristics are presented.

Coaxial carbon plasma gun deposition of amorphous carbon films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sater, D.M.; Gulino, D.A.

1984-03-01

A unique plasma gun employing coaxial carbon electrodes was used in an attempt to deposit thin films of amorphous diamond-like carbon. A number of different structural, compositional, and electrical characterization techniques were used to characterize these films. These included scanning electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, X ray diffraction and absorption, spectrographic analysis, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and selected area electron diffraction. Optical absorption and electrical resistivity measurements were also performed. The films were determined to be primarily amorphous, with poor adhesion to fused silica substrates. Many inclusions of particulates were found to be present as well. Analysis of these particulates revealed the presence of trace impurities, such as Fe and Cu, which were also found in the graphite electrode material. The electrodes were the source of these impurities. No evidence of diamond-like crystallite structure was found in any of the film samples. Details of the apparatus, experimental procedure, and film characteristics are presented

Characterization of a medium-sized washer-gun for an axisymmetric mirror

Science.gov (United States)

Yi, Hongshen; Liu, Ming; Shi, Peiyun; Yang, Zhida; Zhu, Guanghui; Lu, Quanming; Sun, Xuan

2018-04-01

A new medium-sized washer gun is developed for a plasma start-up in a fully axisymmetric mirror. The gun is positioned at the east end of the Keda Mirror with AXisymmetricity facility and operated in the pulsed mode with an arc discharging time of 1.2 ms and a typical arc current of 8.5 kA with 1.5 kV discharge voltage. To optimize the operation, a systematic scan of the neutral pressure, the arc voltage, the bias voltage on a mesh grid 6 cm in front of the gun and an end electrode located on the west end of mirror, and the mirror ratio was performed. The streaming plasma was measured with triple probes in the three mirror cells and a diamagnetic loop in the central cell. Floating potential measurements suggest that the plasma could be divided into streaming and mirror-confined plasmas. The floating potential for the streaming plasma is negative, with an electric field pointing inwards. The mirror-confined plasma has a typical lifetime of 0.5 ms.

Enhanced ECR ion source performance with an electron gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie, Z.; Lyneis, C.M.; Lam, R.S.; Lundgren, S.A.

1991-01-01

An electron gun for the advanced electron cyclotron resonance (AECR) source has been developed to increase the production of high charge state ions. The AECR source, which operates at 14 GHz, is being developed for the 88-in. cyclotron at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. The electron gun injects 10 to 150 eV electrons into the plasma chamber of the AECR. With the electron gun the AECR has produced at 10 kV extraction voltage 131 e μA of O 7+ , 13 e μA of O 8+ , 17 e μA of Ar 14+ , 2.2 e μA of Kr 25+ , 1 e μA of Xe 31+ , and 0.2 e μA of Bi 38+ . The AECR was also tested as a single stage source with a coating of SiO 2 on the plasma chamber walls. This significantly improved its performance compared to no coating, but direct injection of electrons with the electron gun produced the best results

Gun ownership and social gun culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalesan, Bindu; Villarreal, Marcos D; Keyes, Katherine M; Galea, Sandro

2016-06-01

We assessed gun ownership rates in 2013 across the USA and the association between exposure to a social gun culture and gun ownership. We used data from a nationally representative sample of 4000 US adults, from 50 states and District of Columbia, aged >18 years to assess gun ownership and social gun culture performed in October 2013. State-level firearm policy information was obtained from the Brady Law Center and Injury Prevention and Control Center. One-third of Americans reported owning a gun, ranging from 5.2% in Delaware to 61.7% in Alaska. Gun ownership was 2.25-times greater among those reporting social gun culture (PR=2.25, 95% CI 2.02 to 2.52) than those who did not. In conclusion, we found strong association between social gun culture and gun ownership. Gun cultures may need to be considered for public health strategies that aim to change gun ownership in the USA. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Spheromak experiment using separate guns for formation and sustainment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, M.R.; Martin, A.

1996-01-01

An experiment is described that incorporates the use of separate magnetized plasma guns for formation and sustainment of a spheromak. It is shown that energy coupling efficiency approaches unity if the gun and spheromak are of comparable size. A large gun should be able to operate at lower current and therefore lower voltage. In addition, it is expected that a gun matched to the size of the spheromak will cause less perturbation to the equilibrium. It is proposed to use a smaller gun for spheromak formation and a large, efficient gun for sustainment. The theoretical basis for the experiment is developed, and the details of the experiment are described. A prediction of the equilibrium magnetic flux surfaces using the EFIT code is presented. 28 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab

Improved plasma accelerator

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, D. Y.

1971-01-01

Converging, coaxial accelerator electrode configuration operates in vacuum as plasma gun. Plasma forms by periodic injections of high pressure gas that is ionized by electrical discharges. Deflagration mode of discharge provides acceleration, and converging contours of plasma gun provide focusing.

Particle transport and gas feed during gun injection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fowler, T K.

1999-01-01

It is shown that ion and neutral transport during gun injection tends to equalize the density in the spheromak to that in the open-line current channel. Since a gun operating at or near the ion saturation current requires a minimum density, because of transport these gun requirements also determine a minimum density in the spheromak that increases as the field increases. Hence attaining high fields by gun injection sets lower limits on the density, which in turn limits the temperature of the plasma and increases its ohmic resistance. Estimates of these effects are given using 0-D models calibrated to CTX, as guidance to 2-D UEDGE calculations in progress. For gun power levels in SSPX and the Pulsed Spheromak reactor, we find that buildup persists to the highest field levels of interest

Water gun vs air gun: A comparison

Science.gov (United States)

Hutchinson, D.R.; Detrick, R. S.

1984-01-01

The water gun is a relatively new marine seismic sound source that produces an acoustic signal by an implosive rather than explosive mechanism. A comparison of the source characteristics of two different-sized water guns with those of conventional air guns shows the the water gun signature is cleaner and much shorter than that of a comparable-sized air gun: about 60-100 milliseconds (ms) for an 80-in3. (1.31-liter (I)) water gun compared with several hundred ms for an 80-in3. (1.31-1) air gun. The source spectra of water guns are richer in high frequencies (>200 Hz) than are those of air guns, but they also have less energy than those of air guns at low frequencies. A comparison between water gun and air gun reflection profiles in both shallow (Long Island Sound)-and deep (western Bermuda Rise)-water settings suggests that the water gun offers a good compromise between very high resolution, limited penetration systems (e.g. 3.5-kHz profilers and sparkers) and the large volume air guns and tuned air gun arrays generally used where significant penetration is required. ?? 1984 D. Reidel Publishing Company.

High-Energy Gun-Injected Toroidal Quadrupole

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hammel, J.E.; Henins, I.; Kewish, R.W. Jr.; Marshall, J.; Sherwood, A.R.

1971-01-01

A quadrupole device is being used to investigate the trapping and containment of an energetic gun plasma. The quadrupole is designed to contain a peak density of 5 x 10 13 cm -3 at 2.5 keV within the MHD-stable region. At design field there are 5 gyro-radii for 2. 5-keV protons from the separatrix to the ψ crit . The interior conductors are directly driven with a 0.8-MJ capacitor bank. The current to the coils is fed through a single pair of dipole-guarded conductors to each coil. The coils are also supported from the current feed, The dipole guard is in a force-free configuration with 5 gyro-radii for 2. 5-keV protons from the separatrix (between the dipole and quadrupole fields) to the dipole surface. The dipole is designed so that loss of plasma from the dipole region will be directed away from the interior conductors. This feature is necessary for the prevention of contamination by secondary gas produced by plasma lost at the dipole guard. Experiments at one-half design value of magnetic field have shown that the kilovolt energy gun plasma is trapped by depolarization currents around the coils, and that a very high percentage (>50%) of the gun output can be trapped. The plasma density is measured by a unique Michelson interferometer using CO 2 laser light. The energy of the plasma is derived from magnetic pickup loops placed outside the containment region. The leak caused by the dipole guard Held has been examined by double electric probe measurements. The plasma drift thus inferred is an order of magnitude less than that predicted by a model of Meade's or by calculations by us. This casts doubt upon the validity of any such simple model and emphasizes the necessity of further experimental investigation of the matter. New coils which are being built to operate at full design magnetic field strength will allow a check on the containment time of the device for kilovolt energy plasma. (author)

Measurement of performance parameters of plasma source for plasma opening switch on Qiangguang-Ⅰ generator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luo Weixi; Zeng Zhengzhong; Lei Tianshi; Wang Liangping; Hu Yixiang; Sun Tieping; Huang Tao

2012-01-01

The plasma source (cable guns) of the plasma opening switch (POS) on Qiangguang Ⅰ generator was chosen as the study object. The plasma source performance was investigated by using charge collectors. Experimental results show that the plasma ejection density is positively correlated with the structural parameter, the distance between gun core tip and muzzle plane, and the plasma ejection velocity is negatively correlated with the parameter. The increasing rate of plasma ejection density is less than that of drive current. As far as a plasma source with tens of cable plasma guns is concerned, the influence of single cable gun's discharge dispersancy on plasma uniformity is little. Analysis of uncertainty shows that the uncertainty of measurement can be reduced by increasing the number of experiments and averaging the results. The combined standard uncertainty of plasma ejection density is less than 10%. (authors)

Experimental investigation of a 1 kA/cm² sheet beam plasma cathode electron gun.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Niraj; Pal, Udit Narayan; Pal, Dharmendra Kumar; Prajesh, Rahul; Prakash, Ram

2015-01-01

In this paper, a cold cathode based sheet-beam plasma cathode electron gun is reported with achieved sheet-beam current density ∼1 kA/cm(2) from pseudospark based argon plasma for pulse length of ∼200 ns in a single shot experiment. For the qualitative assessment of the sheet-beam, an arrangement of three isolated metallic-sheets is proposed. The actual shape and size of the sheet-electron-beam are obtained through a non-conventional method by proposing a dielectric charging technique and scanning electron microscope based imaging. As distinct from the earlier developed sheet beam sources, the generated sheet-beam has been propagated more than 190 mm distance in a drift space region maintaining sheet structure without assistance of any external magnetic field.

Electro Thermal Chemical Gun Technology Study

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Diamond, P

1999-01-01

.... Michael Stroscio. Electro Thermal Chemical (ETC) gun technology refers to the use of plasma devices in place of traditional chemical ignitors to initiate the burning of high energy propellants in a controlled manner...

Synthesis method for ultrananocrystalline diamond in powder employing a coaxial arc plasma gun

Science.gov (United States)

Naragino, Hiroshi; Tominaga, Aki; Hanada, Kenji; Yoshitake, Tsuyoshi

2015-07-01

A new method that enables us to synthesize ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) in powder is proposed. Highly energetic carbon species ejected from a graphite cathode of a coaxial arc plasma gun were provided on a quartz plate at a high density by repeated arc discharge in a compact vacuum chamber, and resultant films automatically peeled from the plate were aggregated and powdered. The grain size was easily controlled from 2.4 to 15.0 nm by changing the arc discharge energy. It was experimentally demonstrated that the proposed method is a new and promising method that enables us to synthesize UNCD in powder easily and controllably.

Synthesis method for ultrananocrystalline diamond in powder employing a coaxial arc plasma gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naragino, Hiroshi; Tominaga, Aki; Yoshitake, Tsuyoshi; Hanada, Kenji

2015-01-01

A new method that enables us to synthesize ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) in powder is proposed. Highly energetic carbon species ejected from a graphite cathode of a coaxial arc plasma gun were provided on a quartz plate at a high density by repeated arc discharge in a compact vacuum chamber, and resultant films automatically peeled from the plate were aggregated and powdered. The grain size was easily controlled from 2.4 to 15.0 nm by changing the arc discharge energy. It was experimentally demonstrated that the proposed method is a new and promising method that enables us to synthesize UNCD in powder easily and controllably. (author)

Impurities, temperature, and density in a miniature electrostatic plasma and current source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Den Hartog, D.J.; Craig, D.J.; Fiksel, G.; Sarff, J.S.

1996-10-01

We have spectroscopically investigated the Sterling Scientific miniature electrostatic plasma source-a plasma gun. This gun is a clean source of high density (10 19 - 10 20 m -3 ), low temperature (5 - 15 eV) plasma. A key result of our investigation is that molybdenum from the gun electrodes is largely trapped in the internal gun discharge; only a small amount escapes in the plasma flowing out of the gun. In addition, the gun plasma parameters actually improve (even lower impurity contamination and higher ion temperature) when up to 1 kA of electron current is extracted from the gun via the application of an external bias. This improvement occurs because the internal gun anode no longer acts as the current return for the internal gun discharge. The gun plasma is a virtual plasma electrode capable of sourcing an electron emission current density of 1 kA/cm 2 . The high emission current, small size (3 - 4 cm diameter), and low impurity generation make this gun attractive for a variety of fusion and plasma technology applications

The HART I augmented electric gun facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fikse, D.A.; Ciesar, J.A.; Wehrli, H.A.; Rimersma, H.; Docherty, E.F.; Pipich, C.W.

1991-01-01

This paper reports on an augmented electric gun system that has been commissioned. This system, called HART I (Hypervelocity Augmented Railgun Test), is built around a double augmented rail arrangement with a 1.27-cm square bore. It is powered by the SUVAC II 5.6-MJ distributed capacitor power supply. This arrangement allows operation in a simple, series augmented, or transaugmented gun system configuration. The objective of this facility is to perform materials research augmentation studies, and armature development in the 10-km/s regime. Armature masses of 2 to 4 g will be accelerated in a 4-m long barrel. Baseline bore materials will begin with conventional G9/GlidCop systems and then move into pyrolytic boron nitride/refractory materials. Hybrids, plasma, and ablation stabilized armature systems are planned. The gun system is instrumented with plasma and rail B probes for inbore velocity measurements. In addition, breech and muzzle voltages, currents, and external velocities are measured. The HART I system is currently performing hypervelocity experiments to verify the augmentation models

Conference on electromagnetic guns and launchers, 1980

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1982-01-01

Proceedings includes 31 papers dealing with the physical principles and engineering technology associated with the development of electromagnetic propulsion, with emphasis on its use for guns, launchers as well as other military equipment. Topics covered include: rail guns, projectiles, mass accelerators, electric motors and generators, nuclear reactors, superconducting devices, plasma acceleration and confinement, traveling magnetic waves, aerospace propulsion, space shuttles, homopolar generators, fusion reactors, tokamaks, impact fusion, and electric power generation. All papers are abstracted and indexed separately

Gun Control, Gun Ownership, and Suicide Prevention.

Science.gov (United States)

Lester, David

1988-01-01

Explored relationship between the extent of gun ownership and the strictness of gun control laws to suicide and homicide rates in the nine major geographic regions of the United States. Found gun ownership, rather than the strictness of gun control laws, was the strongest correlate of the rates of suicide and homicide by guns. (Author)

Magnetohydrodynamic simulation of kink instability and plasma flow during sustainment of a coaxial gun spheromak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanki, Takashi; Nagata, Masayoshi; Kagei, Yasuhiro

2010-01-01

Kink instability and the subsequent plasma flow during the sustainment of a coaxial gun spheromak are investigated by three-dimensional nonlinear magnetohydrodynamic simulations. Analysis of the parallel current density λ profile in the central open column revealed that the n = 1 mode structure plays an important role in the relaxation and current drive. The toroidal flow (v t ≈ 37 km/s) is driven by magnetic reconnection occurring as a result of the helical kink distortion of the central open column during repetitive plasmoid ejection and merging. (author)

Cross-field plasma injection into mirror geometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uzun-Kaymak, I U; Clary, R; Ellis, R; Elton, R; Teodorescu, C; Young, W [Institute for Research in Electronics and Applied Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 (United States); Messer, S; Bomgardner, R; Case, A; Witherspoon, F D, E-mail: uzunkaymak@wisc.ed [HyperV Technologies Corp., Chantilly, VA 20151 (United States)

2009-09-15

The Maryland Centrifugal Experiment (MCX) and HyperV Technologies Corp. are collaborating on a series of experiments to test the use of a plasma gun to inject mass and momentum into a magnetic-confinement device. HyperV has designed, built and installed a prototype coaxial gun to drive rotation in MCX. The gun has been designed to avoid the blow-by instability via a combination of electrode shaping and a tailored plasma armature. Preliminary measurements at HyperV indicate the gun generates plasma jets with a mass of 160 {mu}g, velocities up to 90 km s{sup -1} and plasma density in the high 10{sup 14} cm{sup -3}. This paper emphasizes characteristics of the plasma gun and penetration of the plasma jet through the MCX magnetic field. Plans for future injection experiments are briefly discussed.

Electron beam production by a plasma focus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, J.R.; Luo, C.M.; Schneider, R.F.; Rhee, M.J.

1984-01-01

Operation of a plasma focus as a Compact Pulsed Accelerator (CPA) for ions has been previously reported. The CPA consists of: (1) a 15 μF, 3 kJ capacitor, (2) a triggered spark gap, (3) a coaxial transmission line, and (4) a Mather geometry plasma gun. Recently the authors have investigated application of the CPA as an accelerator for electrons. In the previously reported work using the standard Mather plasma gun geometry, ions were accelerated away from the plasma gun and were therefore conveniently extracted for analysis, but electrons were directed into the hollow anode where extraction is blocked by the coaxial transmission line. For investigation of accelerated electrons a new plasma gun design which allows extraction of electrons has been developed. Details of the new plasma gun design and further results of beam diagnostics are discussed

Whose guns are stolen? The epidemiology of Gun theft victims.

Science.gov (United States)

Hemenway, David; Azrael, Deborah; Miller, Matthew

2017-12-01

Gun theft is an important source of guns used by criminals. Yet no empirical work has focused on the characteristics of gun owners that distinguish those who have had their guns stolen from those who have not. In this study, we examine the demographics and behavioral characteristics of gun owners who report having had a gun stolen. Data come from a nationally representative probability-based online survey conducted in April 2015, with a linked follow-up survey in November 2015 that asked gun owners about any theft of their guns in the past 5 years. Of 1,604 gun-owning respondents, 2.4% (95% CI 1.6,3.6) reported that one or more guns had been stolen, with a mean number of guns stolen per theft of 1.5 (95% CI 1.0,2.0]. Risk factors for having a gun stolen were owning 6 or more guns, owning guns for protection, carrying a gun in the past month, storing guns unsafely, and living in the South region of the United States. The South accounts for 37% of US households, 43% of gun owners, and two-thirds of all gun thefts. We estimate that there are approximately 250,000 gun theft incidents per year, with about 380,000 guns stolen. We find that certain types of gun owners-who own many guns, who carry guns, and who do not store guns safely-are at higher risk to have their guns stolen. Tracing data show that states in the South are exporters of crime guns used in other states. Our survey results find that the majority of guns stolen in the US come from the South.

Vapor shielding effects on energy transfer from plasma-gun generated ELM-like transient loads to material surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Kikuchi, Y.; Sakuma, I.; Asai, Y.; Onishi, K.; Isono, W.; Nakazono, T.; Nakane, M.; Fukumoto, N.; Nagata, M.

2016-02-01

Energy transfer processes from ELM-like pulsed helium (He) plasmas with a pulse duration of ˜0.1 ms to aluminum (Al) and tungsten (W) surfaces were experimentally investigated by the use of a magnetized coaxial plasma gun device. The surface absorbed energy density of the He pulsed plasma on the W surface measured with a calorimeter was ˜0.44 MJ m-2, whereas it was ˜0.15 MJ m-2 on the Al surface. A vapor layer in front of the Al surface exposed to the He pulsed plasma was clearly identified by Al neutral emission line (Al i) measured with a high time resolution spectrometer, and fast imaging with a high-speed visible camera filtered around the Al i emission line. On the other hand, no clear evaporation in front of the W surface exposed to the He pulsed plasma was observed in the present condition. Discussions on the reduction in the surface absorbed energy density on the Al surface are provided by considering the latent heat of vaporization and radiation cooling due to the Al vapor cloud.

Lake Wobegon’s Guns: Overestimating Our Gun-Related Competences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emily Stark

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The Lake Wobegon Effect is a general tendency for people to overestimate their own abilities. In this study, the authors conducted a large, nationally-representative survey of U.S. citizens to test whether Americans overestimate their own gun-relevant personality traits, gun safety knowledge, and ability to use a gun in an emergency. The authors also tested how gun control attitudes, political identification, gender, and gun experience affect self-perceptions. Consistent with prior research on the Lake Wobegon Effect, participants overestimated their gun-related competencies. Conservatives, males, and pro-gun advocates self-enhanced somewhat more than their counterparts but this effect was primarily due to increased gun experience among these participants. These findings are important to policymakers in the area of gun use, because overconfidence in one’s gun-related abilities may lead to a reduced perceived need for gun training.

A ferroelectric electron gun in a free-electron maser experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Einat, M.; Jerby, E.; Rosenman, G.

2002-01-01

An electron-gun based on a ferroelectric cathode is studied in a free-electron maser (FEM) experiment. In this gun, the electrons are separated from the cathode surface plasma, and are accelerated in two stages. The electron energy-spread is reduced sufficiently for an FEM operation in the microwave regime. A 14 keV, 1-2 A e-beam is obtained in a 0.1-2.1 μs pulse width. The pulse repetition frequency attains 3.1 MHz in ∼50% duty-cycle. This gun is implemented in an FEM oscillator experiment operating around 3 GHz. The paper presents experimental results and discusses the applicability of ferroelectric guns in free-electron laser devices

A ferroelectric electron gun in a free-electron maser experiment

CERN Document Server

Einat, M; Rosenman, G

2002-01-01

An electron-gun based on a ferroelectric cathode is studied in a free-electron maser (FEM) experiment. In this gun, the electrons are separated from the cathode surface plasma, and are accelerated in two stages. The electron energy-spread is reduced sufficiently for an FEM operation in the microwave regime. A 14 keV, 1-2 A e-beam is obtained in a 0.1-2.1 mu s pulse width. The pulse repetition frequency attains 3.1 MHz in approx 50% duty-cycle. This gun is implemented in an FEM oscillator experiment operating around 3 GHz. The paper presents experimental results and discusses the applicability of ferroelectric guns in free-electron laser devices.

Progress In Plasma Accelerator Development for Dynamic Formation of Plasma Liners

Science.gov (United States)

Thio, Y. C. Francis; Eskridge, Richard; Martin, Adam; Smith, James; Lee, Michael; Cassibry, Jason T.; Griffin, Steven; Rodgers, Stephen L. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

An experimental plasma accelerator for magnetic target fusion (MTF) applications under development at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center is described. The accelerator is a coaxial pulsed plasma thruster (Figure 1). It has been tested experimentally and plasma jet velocities of approx.50 km/sec have been obtained. The plasma jet has been photographed with 10-ns exposure times to reveal a stable and repeatable plasma structure (Figure 2). Data for velocity profile information has been obtained using light pipes and magnetic probes embedded in the gun walls to record the plasma and current transit respectively at various barrel locations. Preliminary spatially resolved spectral data and magnetic field probe data are also presented. A high speed triggering system has been developed and tested as a means of reducing the gun "jitter". This jitter is being characterized and future work for second generation "ultra-low jitter" gun development is being identified.

Plasma Accelerator Development for Dynamic Formation of Plasma Liners: A Status Report

Science.gov (United States)

Thio, Y. C. Francis; Eskridge, Richard; Martin, Adam; Smith, James; Lee, Michael; Rodgers, Stephen L. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

An experimental plasma accelerator for magnetic target fusion (MTF) applications under development at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center is described. The accelerator is a pulsed plasma thruster and has been tested experimentally and plasma jet velocities of approximately 50 km/sec have been obtained. The plasma jet structure has been photographed with 10 ns exposure times to reveal a stable and repeatable plasma structure. Data for velocity profile information has been obtained using light pipes embedded in the gun walls to record the plasma transit at various barrel locations. Preliminary spatially resolved spectral data and magnetic field probe data are also presented. A high speed triggering system has been developed and tested as a means of reducing the gun "jitter". This jitter is being characterized and future work for second generation "ultra-low jitter" gun development is being identified.

Magnetic structure in the entrance region of spheromaks sustained by a magnetized coaxial plasma gun under long pulse operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amemiya, Naoyuki; Takaichi, Kazuaki; Katsurai, Makoto

1989-01-01

The magnetic structure in coaxial-gun-sustained spheromaks has been investigated. The plasma gun has been operated with a small axial/radial bias magnetic flux as compared to the azimuthal magnetic flux produced by the discharge current. Stronger magnetic field is observed in the entrance region (ER) than in the flux conserver (FC). In both ER and FC, the magnetic structure is nearly axisymmetric. The axial magnetic field in ER is amplified up to about sixteen times as large as the bias magnetic field. This amplification is limited by the drastic change in the magnetic structure, which occurs when the discharge current becomes very large. The magnetic structure before the drastic change is interpreted with the Bessel function model. The μ estimation shows that the magnetic structure is mainly determined by the boundary geometry, not by the external magnetic flux and current. (author)

Measurements of ion temperature and flow of pulsed plasmas produced by a magnetized coaxial plasma gun device using an ion Doppler spectrometer

Science.gov (United States)

Kitagawa, Y.; Sakuma, I.; Iwamoto, D.; Kikuchi, Y.; Fukumoto, N.; Nagata, M.

2012-10-01

It is important to know surface damage characteristics of plasma-facing component materials during transient heat and particle loads such as type I ELMs. A magnetized coaxial plasma gun (MCPG) device has been used as transient heat and particle source in ELM simulation experiments. Characteristics of pulsed plasmas produced by the MCPG device play an important role for the plasma material interaction. In this study, ion temperature and flow velocity of pulsed He plasmas were measured by an ion Doppler spectrometer (IDS). The IDS system consists of a light collection system including optical fibers, 1m-spectrometer and a 16 channel photomultiplier tube (PMT) detector. The IDS system measures the width and Doppler shift of HeII (468.58 nm) emission line with the time resolution of 1 μs. The Doppler broadened and shifted spectra were measured with 45 and 135 degree angles with respect to the plasmoid traveling direction. The observed emission line profile was represented by sum of two Gaussian components to determine the temperature and flow velocity. The minor component at around the wavelength of zero-velocity was produced by the stationary plasma. As the results, the ion velocity and temperature were 68 km/s and 19 eV, respectively. Thus, the He ion flow energy is 97 eV. The observed flow velocity agrees with that measured by a time of flight technique.

Gun Play

Science.gov (United States)

Mechling, Jay

2008-01-01

Biology and the particular gun culture of the United States come together to explain the persistent and powerful attraction of American boys to both real guns and toy guns. The 1990s saw adults begin to conflate "the gun problem" with "the boy problem," sparking attempts (largely failed) to banish toy guns from homes and…

The HyperV Full-Scale Contoured-Gap Coaxial Plasma Railgun

Science.gov (United States)

Brockington, Samuel; Case, Andrew; Messer, Sarah; Bomgardner, Richard; Elton, Raymond; Wu, Linchun; Witherspoon, F. Douglas

2009-11-01

HyperV has been developing pulsed plasma injected coaxial railguns with a contoured gap profile designed to mitigate the blowby instability. Previous work using half-scale guns has been successful in launching 150 μg plasmas at 90 km/s [1]. In order to meet the original goal of 200 μg at 200 km/s the full-scale coaxial plasma gun has been constructed, and initial testing is beginning. This new plasma gun consists of two machined aluminum electrodes and a UHMW polyethylene breech insulator. The gun is breech fed by 64 ablative polyethylene capillary discharge units identical to the half-scale gun units. Maximum accelerator energy storage has also been increased 50%. Refractory coatings may be necessary to allow full current (˜800 kA) operation. The outer electrode includes 24 small diagnostic ports for optical and magnetic probe access to the plasma inside the gun to allow direct measurement of the plasma armature dynamics. Initial test data from the full-scale coax gun will be presented along with plans for future testing. Work supported by the U.S. DOE Office of Fusion Energy Sciences.[4pt] [1] F. D. Witherspoon, A. Case, S. Messer, R. Bomgardner, M. Phillips, S. Brockington, R. Elton, ``Contoured Gap Coaxial Plasma Gun with Injected Plasma Armature'' Rev. Sci. Instr. submitted (2009)

Gas Gun Model and Comparison to Experimental Performance of Pipe Guns Operating with Light Propellant Gases and Large Cryogenic Pellets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reed, J. R. [University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK); Carmichael, J. R. [Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL); Gebhart, T. E. [University of Florida, Gainesville; Combs, Stephen Kirk [ORNL; Baylor, Larry R. [ORNL; Rasmussen, David A. [ORNL; Meitner, Steven J. [ORNL; Lyttle, Mark S. [ORNL

2017-10-01

Injection of multiple large (~10 to 30 mm diameter) shattered pellets into ITER plasmas is presently part of the scheme planned to mitigate the deleterious effects of disruptions on the vessel components. To help in the design and optimize performance of the pellet injectors for this application, a model referred to as “the gas gun simulator” has been developed and benchmarked against experimental data. The computer code simulator is a Java program that models the gas-dynamics characteristics of a single-stage gas gun. Following a stepwise approach, the code utilizes a variety of input parameters to incrementally simulate and analyze the dynamics of the gun as the projectile is launched down the barrel. Using input data, the model can calculate gun performance based on physical characteristics, such as propellant-gas and fast-valve properties, barrel geometry, and pellet mass. Although the model is fundamentally generic, the present version is configured to accommodate cryogenic pellets composed of H2, D2, Ne, Ar, and mixtures of them and light propellant gases (H2, D2, and He). The pellets are solidified in situ in pipe guns that consist of stainless steel tubes and fast-acting valves that provide the propellant gas for pellet acceleration (to speeds ~200 to 700 m/s). The pellet speed is the key parameter in determining the response time of a shattered pellet system to a plasma disruption event. The calculated speeds from the code simulations of experiments were typically in excellent agreement with the measured values. With the gas gun simulator validated for many test shots and over a wide range of physical and operating parameters, it is a valuable tool for optimization of the injector design, including the fast valve design (orifice size and volume) for any operating pressure (~40 bar expected for the ITER application) and barrel length for any pellet size (mass, diameter, and length). Key design parameters and proposed values for the pellet injectors for

Experimental Identification of the Kink Instability as a Poloidal Flux Amplification Mechanism for Coaxial Gun Spheromak Formation

OpenAIRE

Hsu, S. C.; Bellan, P. M.

2003-01-01

The magnetohydrodynamic kink instability is observed and identified experimentally as a poloidal flux amplification mechanism for coaxial gun spheromak formation. Plasmas in this experiment fall into three distinct regimes which depend on the peak gun current to magnetic flux ratio, with (I) low values resulting in a straight plasma column with helical magnetic field, (II) intermediate values leading to kinking of the column axis, and (III) high values leading immediately to a detached plasma...

Approach to the energetic coaxial gun of the steady-state mode operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirano, Kei-ichi

1993-01-01

Behaviors of a coaxial plasma gun operated in a steady-state mode have been studied. It is shown that the gun has potentialities to yield an energetic plasma beam, if a supersonic plasma flow is supplied instead of a neutral gas and if shorting out of the Hall potential is minimized on the surfaces of the electrodes. The former is necessary because a electromagnetic force chokes the subsonic flow appearing in the ionizing zone of the inlet gas. The latter is achieved if the electrodes are segmented into many insulated short elements along the axis. The required minimum number of the segmentation is estimated by the newly developed model based on the boundary layer concept. (author)

Gun Shows and Gun Violence: Fatally Flawed Study Yields Misleading Results

Science.gov (United States)

Hemenway, David; Webster, Daniel; Pierce, Glenn; Braga, Anthony A.

2010-01-01

A widely publicized but unpublished study of the relationship between gun shows and gun violence is being cited in debates about the regulation of gun shows and gun commerce. We believe the study is fatally flawed. A working paper entitled “The Effect of Gun Shows on Gun-Related Deaths: Evidence from California and Texas” outlined this study, which found no association between gun shows and gun-related deaths. We believe the study reflects a limited understanding of gun shows and gun markets and is not statistically powered to detect even an implausibly large effect of gun shows on gun violence. In addition, the research contains serious ascertainment and classification errors, produces results that are sensitive to minor specification changes in key variables and in some cases have no face validity, and is contradicted by 1 of its own authors’ prior research. The study should not be used as evidence in formulating gun policy. PMID:20724672

Encyclopedia of Gun Control and Gun Rights.

Science.gov (United States)

Utter, Glenn H.

This reference volume provides information on gun control and gun rights, including resources on the debate surrounding the Second Amendment and individuals and organizations focused on gun issues, along with statutes, court cases, events, and publications surrounding this current topic. Highlighted are the important organizations and their…

Development of ion source with a washer gun for pulsed neutral beam injection.

Science.gov (United States)

Asai, T; Yamaguchi, N; Kajiya, H; Takahashi, T; Imanaka, H; Takase, Y; Ono, Y; Sato, K N

2008-06-01

A new type of economical neutral beam source has been developed by using a single washer gun, pulsed operation, and a simple electrode system. We replaced the conventional hot filaments for arc-discharge-type plasma formation with a single stainless-steel washer gun, eliminating the entire dc power supply for the filaments and the cooling system for the electrodes. Our initial experiments revealed successful beam extraction up to 10 kV and 8.6 A, based on spatial profile measurements of density and temperature in the plasma source. The system also shows the potential to control the beam profile by controlling the plasma parameters in the ion accumulation chamber.

Fast Plasma from a Coaxial Gun; Plasma Rapide Produit par un Canon Coaxial; Bystraya plazma iz koaksial'nogo inzhektora; Produccion de Plasma Rapido Mediante un Inyector Coaxial

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marshall, J.; Henins, I. [Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM (United States)

1966-04-15

The coaxial gun in use here is a source or two different plasmas produced by separate mechanisms. Abundant slow ( Tilde-Operator 10{sup 7} cm/sec) deuterium plasma is produced directly by the j x B interaction of the radial plasma current and the magnetic field of the feed current along the centre electrode. The current disturbance moves through the injected gas toward the gun muzzle at Tilde-Operator 2.5 x 10{sup 7} cm/sec, storing energy behind it in magnetic field and plasma motion. The gun, with its stored energy, functions as a high power low impedance electrical generator to drive into the vacuum beyond the gun muzzle a jet of current which is the source of the fast plasma ( Tilde-Operator 5 x 10{sup 17} deuterons, Tilde-Operator 10{sup 8} cm/sec). The current jet and the plasma it produces are the subjects of these experiments. The mechanism of acceleration is complicated and imperfectly understood, but considerable insight has been gained by an extensive series of experiments, using as diagnostics the following: external diamagnetic pickup loops, intra vacuo Rogowsky loops, electric probes, external capacitive pickup electrodes, magnetic and electrostatic particle deflection analysis, spectroscopy, target light photography, time of flight with and without a guide field, d-d neutrons from the plasma volume and other methods. The picture which emerges is one of a complicated magneto-electric process taking place in front of the gun muzzle. The acceleration process depends on low gas density there as contrasted'with high density inside the gun. The fast plasma is largely derived from gas adsorbed on the electrodes. This makes necessary a clean vacuum so as to avoid contamination with highly ionized fast impurity ions (C{sup 5+}, 10{sup 8} cm/sec). Electrode material evaporates but appears not to be a serious contaminant because it comes late. The high voltage actually accelerating the ions is associated with the rapid expansion into vacuum of a magnetic flux

Modeling electron beam parameters and plasma interface position in an anode plasma electron gun with hydrogen atmosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Krauze, A.; Virbulis, J.; Kravtsov, A.

2018-05-01

A beam glow discharge based electron gun can be applied as heater for silicon crystal growth systems in which silicon rods are pulled from melt. Impacts of high-energy charged particles cause wear and tear of the gun and generate an additional source of silicon contamination. A steady-state model for electron beam formation has been developed to model the electron gun and optimize its design. Description of the model and first simulation results are presented. It has been shown that the model can simulate dimensions of particle impact areas on the cathode and anode, but further improvements of the model are needed to correctly simulate electron trajectory distribution in the beam and the beam current dependence on the applied gas pressure.

A Thomson-type mass and energy spectrometer for characterizing ion energy distributions in a coaxial plasma gun operating in a gas-puff mode

OpenAIRE

Rieker, G. B.; Poehlmann, F. R.; Cappelli, M. A.

2013-01-01

Measurements of ion energy distribution are performed in the accelerated plasma of a coaxial electromagnetic plasma gun operating in a gas-puff mode at relatively low discharge energy (900 J) and discharge potential (4 kV). The measurements are made using a Thomson-type mass and energy spectrometer with a gated microchannel plate and phosphor screen as the ion sensor. The parabolic ion trajectories are captured from the sensor screen with an intensified charge-coupled detector camera. The spe...

Surface cracking and melting of different tungsten grades under transient heat and particle loads in a magnetized coaxial plasma gun

Science.gov (United States)

Kikuchi, Y.; Sakuma, I.; Iwamoto, D.; Kitagawa, Y.; Fukumoto, N.; Nagata, M.; Ueda, Y.

2013-07-01

Surface damage of pure tungsten (W), W alloys with 2 wt.% tantalum (W-Ta) and vacuum plasma spray (VPS) W coating on a reduced activation material of ferritic steel (F82H) due to repetitive ELM-like pulsed (˜0.3 ms) deuterium plasma irradiation has been investigated by using a magnetized coaxial plasma gun. Surface cracks appeared on a pure W sample exposed to 10 plasma pulses of ˜0.3 MJ m-2, while a W-Ta sample did not show surface cracks with similar pulsed plasma irradiation. The energy density threshold for surface cracking was significantly increased by the existence of the alloying element of tantalum. No surface morphology change of a VPS W coated F82H sample was observed under 10 plasma pulses of ˜0.3 MJ m-2, although surface melting and cracks in the resolidification layer occurred at higher energy density of ˜0.9 MJ m-2. There was no indication of exfoliation of the W coating from the substrate of F82H after the pulsed plasma exposures.

State Gun Law Environment and Youth Gun Carrying in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Xuan, Ziming; Hemenway, David

2015-11-01

Gun violence and injuries pose a substantial threat to children and youth in the United States. Existing evidence points to the need for interventions and policies for keeping guns out of the hands of children and youth. (1) To examine the association between state gun law environment and youth gun carrying in the United States, and (2) to determine whether adult gun ownership mediates this association. This was a repeated cross-sectional observational study design with 3 years of data on youth gun carrying from US states. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey comprises data of representative samples of students in grades 9 to 12 from biennial years of 2007, 2009, and 2011. We hypothesized that states with more restrictive gun laws have lower rates of youth gun carrying, and this association is mediated by adult gun ownership. State gun law environment as measured by state gun law score. Youth gun carrying was defined as having carried a gun on at least 1 day during the 30 days before the survey. In the fully adjusted model, a 10-point increase in the state gun law score, which represented a more restrictive gun law environment, was associated with a 9% decrease in the odds of youth gun carrying (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.91 [95% CI, 0.86-0.96]). Adult gun ownership mediated the association between state gun law score and youth gun carrying (AOR, 0.94 [ 95% CI, 0.86-1.01], with 29% attenuation of the regression coefficient from -0.09 to -0.07 based on bootstrap resampling). More restrictive overall gun control policies are associated with a reduced likelihood of youth gun carrying. These findings are relevant to gun policy debates about the critical importance of strengthening overall gun law environment to prevent youth gun carrying.

A Penning-assisted subkilovolt coaxial plasma source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Zhehui; Beinke, Paul D.; Barnes, Cris W.; Martin, Michael W.; Mignardot, Edward; Wurden, Glen A.; Hsu, Scott C.; Intrator, Thomas P.; Munson, Carter P.

2005-01-01

A Penning-assisted 20 MW coaxial plasma source (plasma gun), which can achieve breakdown at sub-kV voltages, is described. The minimum breakdown voltage is about 400 V, significantly lower than previously reported values of 1-5 kV. The Penning region for electrons is created using a permanent magnet assembly, which is mounted to the inside of the cathode of the coaxial plasma source. A theoretical model for the breakdown is given. A 900 V 0.5 F capacitor bank supplies energy for gas breakdown and plasma sustainment from 4 to 6 ms duration. Typical peak gun current is about 100 kA and gun voltage between anode and cathode after breakdown is about 200 V. A circuit model is used to understand the current-voltage characteristics of the coaxial gun plasma. Energy deposited into the plasma accounts for about 60% of the total capacitor bank energy. This plasma source is uniquely suitable for studying multi-MW multi-ms plasmas with sub-MJ capacitor bank energy

Formation of Imploding Plasma Liners for HEDP and MIF Application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Witherspoon, F. Douglas [HyperV Technologies Corp., Chantilly, VA (United States); Case, Andrew [HyperV Technologies Corp., Chantilly, VA (United States); Brockington, Samuel [HyperV Technologies Corp., Chantilly, VA (United States); Messer, Sarah [HyperV Technologies Corp., Chantilly, VA (United States); Bomgardner, Richard [HyperV Technologies Corp., Chantilly, VA (United States); Phillips, Mike [HyperV Technologies Corp., Chantilly, VA (United States); Wu, Linchun [HyperV Technologies Corp., Chantilly, VA (United States); Elton, Ray [Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States)

2014-11-11

Plasma jets with high density and velocity have a number of important applications in fusion energy and elsewhere, including plasma refueling, disruption mitigation in tokamaks, magnetized target fusion, injection of momentum into centrifugally confined mirrors, plasma thrusters, and high energy density plasmas (HEDP). In Magneto-Inertial Fusion (MIF), for example, an imploding material liner is used to compress a magnetized plasma to fusion conditions and to confine the resulting burning plasma inertially to obtain the necessary energy gain. The imploding shell may be solid, liquid, gaseous, or a combination of these states. The presence of the magnetic field in the target plasma suppresses thermal transport to the plasma shell, thus lowering the imploding power needed to compress the target to fusion conditions. This allows the required imploding momentum flux to be generated electromagnetically using off-the-shelf pulsed power technology. Practical schemes for standoff delivery of the imploding momentum flux are required and are open topics for research. One approach for accomplishing this, called plasma jet driven magneto-inertial fusion (PJMIF), uses a spherical array of pulsed plasma guns to create a spherically imploding shell of very high velocity, high momentum flux plasma. This approach requires development of plasma jet accelerators capable of achieving velocities of 50-200 km/s with very precise timing and density profiles, and with high total mass and density. Low-Z plasma jets would require the higher velocities, whereas very dense high-Z plasma shells could achieve the goal at velocities of only 50-100 km/s. In this report, we describe our work to develop the pulsed plasma gun technology needed for an experimental scientific exploration of the PJMIF concept, and also for the other applications mentioned earlier. The initial goal of a few hundred of hydrogen at 200 km/s was eventually replaced with accelerating 8000 μg of argon or xenon to 50 km

The Use of an Electron Microchannel as a Self-Extracting and Focusing Plasma Cathode Electron Gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cornish, S.; Khachan, J.

2016-01-01

A new and simple type of electron gun is presented. Unlike conventional electron guns, which require a heated filament or extractor, accelerator and focusing electrodes, this gun uses the collimated electron microchannels of an inertial electrostatic confinement (IEC) discharge to achieve the same outcome. A cylindrical cathode is placed coaxially within a cylindrical anode to create the discharge. Collimated beams of electrons and fast neutrals emerge along the axis of the cylindrical cathode. This geometry isolates one of the microchannels that emerge in a negatively biased IEC grid. The internal operating pressure range of the gun is 35-190 mTorr. A small aperture separates the gun from the main vacuum chamber in order to achieve a pressure differential. The chamber was operated at pressures of 4-12 mTorr. The measured current produced by the gun was 0.1-3 mA (0.2-14 mA corrected measurement) for discharge currents of 1-45 mA and discharge voltages of 0.5-12 kV. The collimated electron beam emerges from the aperture into the vacuum chamber. The performance of the gun is unaffected by the pressure differential between the vacuum chamber and the gun. This allows the aperture to be removed and the chamber pressure to be equal to the gun pressure if required. (paper)

The Use of an Electron Microchannel as a Self-Extracting and Focusing Plasma Cathode Electron Gun

Science.gov (United States)

Cornish, S.; Khachan, J.

2016-02-01

A new and simple type of electron gun is presented. Unlike conventional electron guns, which require a heated filament or extractor, accelerator and focusing electrodes, this gun uses the collimated electron microchannels of an inertial electrostatic confinement (IEC) discharge to achieve the same outcome. A cylindrical cathode is placed coaxially within a cylindrical anode to create the discharge. Collimated beams of electrons and fast neutrals emerge along the axis of the cylindrical cathode. This geometry isolates one of the microchannels that emerge in a negatively biased IEC grid. The internal operating pressure range of the gun is 35-190 mTorr. A small aperture separates the gun from the main vacuum chamber in order to achieve a pressure differential. The chamber was operated at pressures of 4-12 mTorr. The measured current produced by the gun was 0.1-3 mA (0.2-14 mA corrected measurement) for discharge currents of 1-45 mA and discharge voltages of 0.5-12 kV. The collimated electron beam emerges from the aperture into the vacuum chamber. The performance of the gun is unaffected by the pressure differential between the vacuum chamber and the gun. This allows the aperture to be removed and the chamber pressure to be equal to the gun pressure if required.

High Current, High Density Arc Plasma as a New Source for WiPAL

Science.gov (United States)

Waleffe, Roger; Endrizzi, Doug; Myers, Rachel; Wallace, John; Clark, Mike; Forest, Cary; WiPAL Team

2016-10-01

The Wisconsin Plasma Astrophysics Lab (WiPAL) has installed a new array of nineteen plasma sources (plasma guns) on its 3 m diameter, spherical vacuum vessel. Each gun is a cylindrical, molybdenum, washer-stabilized, arc plasma source. During discharge, the guns are maintained at 1.2 kA across 100 V for 10 ms by the gun power supply establishing a high density plasma. Each plasma source is fired independently allowing for adjustable plasma parameters, with densities varying between 1018 -1019 m-3 and electron temperatures of 5-15 eV. Measurements were characterized using a 16 tip Langmuir probe. The plasma source will be used as a background plasma for the magnetized coaxial plasma gun (MCPG), the Terrestrial Reconnection Experiment (TREX), and as the plasma source for a magnetic mirror experiment. Temperature, density, and confinement results will be presented. This work is supported by the DoE and the NSF.

Development of high energy pulsed plasma simulator for plasma-lithium trench experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Soonwook

To simulate detrimental events in a tokamak and provide a test-stand for a liquid lithium infused trench (LiMIT) device, a pulsed plasma source utilizing a theta pinch in conjunction with a coaxial plasma accelerator has been developed. An overall objective of the project is to develop a compact device that can produce 100 MW/m2 to 1 GW/m2 of plasma heat flux (a typical heat flux level in a major fusion device) in ~ 100 mus (≤ 0.1 MJ/m2) for a liquid lithium plasma facing component research. The existing theta pinch device, DEVeX, was built and operated for study on lithium vapor shielding effect. However, a typical plasma energy of 3 - 4 kJ/m2 is too low to study an interaction of plasma and plasma facing components in fusion devices. No or little preionized plasma, ringing of magnetic field, collisions of high energy particles with background gas have been reported as the main issues. Therefore, DEVeX is reconfigured to mitigate these issues. The new device is mainly composed of a plasma gun for a preionization source, a theta pinch for heating, and guiding magnets for a better plasma transportation. Each component will be driven by capacitor banks and controlled by high voltage / current switches. Several diagnostics including triple Langmuir probe, calorimeter, optical emission measurement, Rogowski coil, flux loop, and fast ionization gauge are used to characterize the new device. A coaxial plasma gun is manufactured and installed in the previous theta pinch chamber. The plasma gun is equipped with 500 uF capacitor and a gas puff valve. The increase of the plasma velocity with the plasma gun capacitor voltage is consistent with the theoretical predictions and the velocity is located between the snowplow model and the weak - coupling limit. Plasma energies measured with the calorimeter ranges from 0.02 - 0.065 MJ/m2 and increases with the voltage at the capacitor bank. A cross-check between the plasma energy measured with the calorimeter and the triple probe

Quasi-steady carbon plasma source for neutral beam injector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koguchi, H.; Sakakita, H.; Kiyama, S.; Shimada, T.; Sato, Y.; Hirano, Y.

2014-01-01

Carbon plasma is successfully sustained during 1000 s without any carrier gas in the bucket type ionization chamber with cusp magnetic field. Every several seconds, seed plasmas having ∼3 ms duration time are injected into the ionization chamber by a shunting arch plasma gun. The weakly ionized carbon plasma ejected from the shunting arch is also ionized by 2.45 GHz microwave at the electron cyclotron resonance surface and the plasma can be sustained even in the interval of gun discharges. Control of the gun discharge interval allows to keep high pressure and to sustain the plasma for long duration

Quasi-steady carbon plasma source for neutral beam injector.

Science.gov (United States)

Koguchi, H; Sakakita, H; Kiyama, S; Shimada, T; Sato, Y; Hirano, Y

2014-02-01

Carbon plasma is successfully sustained during 1000 s without any carrier gas in the bucket type ionization chamber with cusp magnetic field. Every several seconds, seed plasmas having ∼3 ms duration time are injected into the ionization chamber by a shunting arch plasma gun. The weakly ionized carbon plasma ejected from the shunting arch is also ionized by 2.45 GHz microwave at the electron cyclotron resonance surface and the plasma can be sustained even in the interval of gun discharges. Control of the gun discharge interval allows to keep high pressure and to sustain the plasma for long duration.

Electromagnetic Guns versus Conventional Guns - a performance comparison

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Reus, N.M. de; Weijden, J. van der

1993-01-01

Performance improvement is one of the key issues of Electromagnetic gun systems compared to conventional gun systems. Due to higher muzzle velocities, the gun's fire control computer will be able to predict the target's future position more accurately because prediction time will be smaller. In this

Surface cracking and melting of different tungsten grades under transient heat and particle loads in a magnetized coaxial plasma gun

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kikuchi, Y., E-mail: ykikuchi@eng.u-hyogo.ac.jp [Graduate School of Engineering, University of Hyogo, 2167 Shosha, Himeji, Hyogo 671-2280 (Japan); Sakuma, I.; Iwamoto, D.; Kitagawa, Y.; Fukumoto, N.; Nagata, M. [Graduate School of Engineering, University of Hyogo, 2167 Shosha, Himeji, Hyogo 671-2280 (Japan); Ueda, Y. [Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 (Japan)

2013-07-15

Surface damage of pure tungsten (W), W alloys with 2 wt.% tantalum (W–Ta) and vacuum plasma spray (VPS) W coating on a reduced activation material of ferritic steel (F82H) due to repetitive ELM-like pulsed (∼0.3 ms) deuterium plasma irradiation has been investigated by using a magnetized coaxial plasma gun. Surface cracks appeared on a pure W sample exposed to 10 plasma pulses of ∼0.3 MJ m{sup −2}, while a W–Ta sample did not show surface cracks with similar pulsed plasma irradiation. The energy density threshold for surface cracking was significantly increased by the existence of the alloying element of tantalum. No surface morphology change of a VPS W coated F82H sample was observed under 10 plasma pulses of ∼0.3 MJ m{sup −2}, although surface melting and cracks in the resolidification layer occurred at higher energy density of ∼0.9 MJ m{sup −2}. There was no indication of exfoliation of the W coating from the substrate of F82H after the pulsed plasma exposures.

Preliminary study of cross-field plasma injection in 2XIIB

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, D.Y.; Hartman, C.W.; Simonen, T.C.

1978-01-01

Preliminary results are presented of a study of cross-field plasma injection in the 2XIIB mirror machine. Plasma accelerated by a coaxial deflagration gun was observed to pass 3.5M across the vacuum field, and some trapping was observed when the gun plasma intersected a plasma streaming along B at the center of the magnetic well. Parameters for the experiment are: gun plasma kinetic energy 50 to 200 eV, n/sub gun/ = 3 x 10 13 cm -3 , streaming plasma 25 to 50 eV and n/sub streaming/ = 6 x 10 11 cm -3 , duration of both 100 to 200 μsec. For the trapped plasma, n = 2.4 x 10 12 cm -3 , and the decay time is t/sub 1 / 2 / = 400 μsec consistent with Coulomb scattering loss at 100 eV mean ion energy

Experimental investigation of plasma-neutralized operation of a gyrotron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirkpatrick, D.A.; Sullivan, C.; Gold, S.H.; Manheimer, W.M.; Levush, B.; Antonsen, T.M.

1989-01-01

The authors present plans and preliminary results of an experiment to investigate the effects of a neutralizing background plasma on the operation of a gyrotron oscillator. Previous experiments operating without a neutralizing background plasma achieved output powers P = 100 - 250MW at a frequency f = 35 GHz, with beam voltages in the range V = 0.60 - 1.35MV, and beam currents I = 1 -3kA. A completely ionized plasma is injected into a gyrotron interaction region from an upstream array of plasma guns. The peak plasma density available from the plasma guns exceeds n p > 10 13 cm -3 . The plasma density is measured by 70 GHz microwave interferometry and Langmuir probes. A high current electron beam from a field emission electron gun enters the plasma-filled gyrotron cavity from the upstream side. The density of the neutralizing plasma is varied by changing the delay between the firing of plasma guns and the VEBA accelerator. The authors present measurements of the transmitted electron beam current. Subsequent design of a gyrotron oscillator which utilizes the enhanced capabilities are presented

The Effects of Gun Ownership Rates and Gun Control Laws on Suicide Rates

OpenAIRE

Mark Gius

2011-01-01

The purpose of the present study is to determine the effects of gun control laws and gun ownership rates on state-level suicide rates. Using the most recent data on suicide rates, gun control measures, and gun ownership rates, the results of the present study suggest that states that require handgun permits have lower gun-related suicide rates, and states that have higher gun ownership rates have higher gun-related suicide rates. Regarding non-gun suicides, results suggest that stricter gun c...

TRAIL: a tokamak rail gun limiter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, W.S.; Powell, J.R.; Usher, J.L.

1980-01-01

An attractive new limiter concept is investigated. The TRAIL (Tokamak Rail Gun Limiter) system impacts a stream of moderate velocity pellets (100 to 200 m/sec through the plasma edge region to absorb energy and define the plasma boundary. The pellets are recycled after cooling, to the injector of an E-M mass accelerator. Heat fluxes of approx. 30,000 W/cm 2 can be readily accommodated by the pellets, with very low recirculating power requirements (approx. 0.1%) for the accelerator. The mass accelerator velocity requirements are well within the present state of the art (several Km/sec). Accelerators injecting pellets at approx. 1 Km/sec can be used to control local plasma temperature and current profiles and to act as energy absorbers to shut down the plasma without damage to the first wall if a plasma disruption occurs

Gun Safety

Science.gov (United States)

Many U.S. households have guns, but they can cause harm if not handled properly. Here are some things you can do to keep yourself and ... safe: Teach children that they shouldn't touch guns and that if they see a gun, to ...

Development of a magnetized coaxial plasma gun for compact toroid injection into the C-2 field-reversed configuration device.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsumoto, T; Sekiguchi, J; Asai, T; Gota, H; Garate, E; Allfrey, I; Valentine, T; Morehouse, M; Roche, T; Kinley, J; Aefsky, S; Cordero, M; Waggoner, W; Binderbauer, M; Tajima, T

2016-05-01

A compact toroid (CT) injector was developed for the C-2 device, primarily for refueling of field-reversed configurations. The CTs are formed by a magnetized coaxial plasma gun (MCPG), which consists of coaxial cylindrical electrodes and a bias coil for creating a magnetic field. First, a plasma ring is generated by a discharge between the electrodes and is accelerated by Lorenz self-force. Then, the plasma ring is captured by an interlinkage flux (poloidal flux). Finally, the fully formed CT is ejected from the MCPG. The MCPG described herein has two gas injection ports that are arranged tangentially on the outer electrode. A tungsten-coated inner electrode has a head which can be replaced with a longer one to extend the length of the acceleration region for the CT. The developed MCPG has achieved supersonic CT velocities of ∼100 km/s. Plasma parameters for electron density, electron temperature, and the number of particles are ∼5 × 10(21) m(-3), ∼40 eV, and 0.5-1.0 × 10(19), respectively.

Development of a magnetized coaxial plasma gun for compact toroid injection into the C-2 field-reversed configuration device

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsumoto, T., E-mail: cstd14003@g.nihon-u.ac.jp; Sekiguchi, J.; Asai, T. [College of Science and Technology, Nihon University, 1-8-14 Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 1018308 (Japan); Gota, H.; Garate, E.; Allfrey, I.; Valentine, T.; Morehouse, M.; Roche, T.; Kinley, J.; Aefsky, S.; Cordero, M.; Waggoner, W.; Binderbauer, M. [Tri Alpha Energy, Inc., P.O. Box 7010 Rancho Santa Margarita, California 92688 (United States); Tajima, T. [Tri Alpha Energy, Inc., P.O. Box 7010 Rancho Santa Margarita, California 92688 (United States); Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, California 92697 (United States)

2016-05-15

A compact toroid (CT) injector was developed for the C-2 device, primarily for refueling of field-reversed configurations. The CTs are formed by a magnetized coaxial plasma gun (MCPG), which consists of coaxial cylindrical electrodes and a bias coil for creating a magnetic field. First, a plasma ring is generated by a discharge between the electrodes and is accelerated by Lorenz self-force. Then, the plasma ring is captured by an interlinkage flux (poloidal flux). Finally, the fully formed CT is ejected from the MCPG. The MCPG described herein has two gas injection ports that are arranged tangentially on the outer electrode. A tungsten-coated inner electrode has a head which can be replaced with a longer one to extend the length of the acceleration region for the CT. The developed MCPG has achieved supersonic CT velocities of ∼100 km/s. Plasma parameters for electron density, electron temperature, and the number of particles are ∼5 × 10{sup 21} m{sup −3}, ∼40 eV, and 0.5–1.0 × 10{sup 19}, respectively.

Development of a magnetized coaxial plasma gun for compact toroid injection into the C-2 field-reversed configuration device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsumoto, T.; Sekiguchi, J.; Asai, T.; Gota, H.; Garate, E.; Allfrey, I.; Valentine, T.; Morehouse, M.; Roche, T.; Kinley, J.; Aefsky, S.; Cordero, M.; Waggoner, W.; Binderbauer, M.; Tajima, T.

2016-01-01

A compact toroid (CT) injector was developed for the C-2 device, primarily for refueling of field-reversed configurations. The CTs are formed by a magnetized coaxial plasma gun (MCPG), which consists of coaxial cylindrical electrodes and a bias coil for creating a magnetic field. First, a plasma ring is generated by a discharge between the electrodes and is accelerated by Lorenz self-force. Then, the plasma ring is captured by an interlinkage flux (poloidal flux). Finally, the fully formed CT is ejected from the MCPG. The MCPG described herein has two gas injection ports that are arranged tangentially on the outer electrode. A tungsten-coated inner electrode has a head which can be replaced with a longer one to extend the length of the acceleration region for the CT. The developed MCPG has achieved supersonic CT velocities of ∼100 km/s. Plasma parameters for electron density, electron temperature, and the number of particles are ∼5 × 10"2"1 m"−"3, ∼40 eV, and 0.5–1.0 × 10"1"9, respectively.

Gun Safety (For Kids)

Science.gov (United States)

... Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Gun Safety KidsHealth / For Kids / Gun Safety What's in ... from guns outside the home. If You Have Guns in Your Home If your parents keep guns ...

Performance Improvement of a Magnetized Coaxial Plasma Gun by adopting Iron-core Bias Coil and New Pre-Ionization System

Science.gov (United States)

Edo, Takahiro; Asai, T.; Tanaka, F.; Yamada, S.; Hosozawa, A.; Gota, H.; Roche, T.; Allfrey, I.; Matsumoto, T.

2017-10-01

A magnetized coaxial plasma gun (MCPG) is a device used to generate a compact toroid (CT), which has a spheromak-like configuration. A typical MCPG consists of a set of axisymmetric cylindrical electrodes, bias coil, and gas-puff valves. In order to expand the CT operating range, the distributions of the bias magnetic field and neutral gas have been investigated. We have developed a new means of generating stuffing flux. By inserting an iron core into the bias coil, the magnetic field increases dramatically; even a small current of a few Amps produces a sufficient bias field. According to a simulation result, it was also suggested that the radial distribution of the bias field is easily controlled. The ejected CT and the target FRC are cooled by excess neutral gas that typical MCPGs require to initiate a breakdown; therefore, we have adopted a miniature gun as a new pre-ionization (PI) system. By introducing this PI system, the breakdown occurs at lower neutral gas density so that the amount of excess neutral gas can be reduced.

A high current high frequency ions gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coutant, J.; Prevot, F.; Vienet, R.

1959-01-01

A 10 mA protons gun has been developed for different purposes. The first part of the report studies the plasma production with a RF electromagnetic field. Then the ion extraction process is analysed with particular reference to space charge phenomena. The last part describes a three electrode electrostatic lens which focusses the beam. (author) [fr

Numerical modeling of the plasma ring acceleration experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eddleman, J.L.; Hammer, J.H.; Hartman, C.W.

1987-01-01

Modeling of the LLNL RACE experiment and its many applications has necessitated the development and use of a wide array of computational tools. The two-dimensional MHD code, HAM, has been used to model the formation of a compact torus plasma ring in a magnetized coaxial gun and its subsequent acceleration by an additional applied toroidal field. Features included in the 2-D calculations are self-consistent models for (1) the time-dependent poloidal field produced by a capacitor bank discharge through a solenoid field coil (located either inside the gun inner electrode or outside the outer gun electrode) and the associated diffusion of magnetic flux through neighboring conductors, (2) gas flow into the gun annular region from a simulated puffed gas valve plenum, (3) formation and motion of a current sheet produced by J x B forces resulting from discharge of the gun capacitor bank through the plasma load between the coaxial gun electrodes, (4) the subsequent stretching and reconnection of the poloidal field lines to form a compact torus plasma ring, and (5) finally the discharge of the accelerator capacitor bank producing an additional toroidal field for acceleration of the plasma ring. The code has been extended to include various models for gas breakdown, plasma anomalous resistivity, and mass entrainment from ablation of electrode material

State Gun Policy and Cross-State Externalities: Evidence from Crime Gun Tracing

OpenAIRE

Brian Knight

2013-01-01

This paper provides a theoretical and empirical analysis of cross-state externalities associated with gun regulations in the context of the gun trafficking market. Using gun tracing data, which identify the source state for crime guns recovered in destination states, we find that firearms in this market tend to flow from states with weak gun laws to states with strict gun laws, satisfying a necessary condition for the existence of cross-state externalities in the theoretical model. We also fi...

Computational Simulation of High Energy Density Plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

2009-10-30

the imploding liner. The PFS depends on a lithium barrier foil slowing the advance of deuterium up the coaxial gun to the corner. There the plasma ...the coaxial gun section, and Figure 4 shows the physical state of the plasma just prior to pinch. Figure 5 shows neutron yield reaching 1014 in this...details the channel geometry between the center cylinder and coaxial gas gun . The deuterium injection starts when the pressure of the deuterium gas in

Effects of particle size, helium gas pressure and microparticle dose on the plasma concentration of indomethacin after bombardment of indomethacin-loaded poly-L-lactic acid microspheres using a Helios gun system.

Science.gov (United States)

Uchida, Masaki; Natsume, Hideshi; Kobayashi, Daisuke; Sugibayashi, Kenji; Morimoto, Yasunori

2002-05-01

We investigated the effects of the particle size of indomethacin-loaded poly-L-lactic acid microspheres (IDM-loaded PLA MS), the helium pressure used to accelerate the particles, and the bombardment dose of PLA MS on the plasma concentration of IDM after bombarding with IDM-loaded PLA MS of different particle size ranges, 20-38, 44-53 and 75-100 microm, the abdomen of hairless rats using the Helios gene gun system (Helios gun system). Using larger particles and a higher helium pressure, produced an increase in the plasma IDM concentration and the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) and resultant F (relative bioavailability with respect to intracutaneous injection) of IDM increased by an amount depending on the particle size and helium pressure. Although a reduction in the bombardment dose led to a decrease in C(max) and AUC, F increased on decreasing the bombardment dose. In addition, a more efficient F was obtained after bombarding with IDM-loaded PLA MS of 75-100 microm in diameter at each low dose in different sites of the abdomen compared with that after bolus bombardment with a high dose (dose equivalent). These results suggest that the bombardment injection of drug-loaded microspheres by the Helios gun system is a very useful tool for delivering a variety of drugs in powder form into the skin and systemic circulation.

RF study and 3-D simulations of a side-coupling thermionic RF-gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rimjaem, S.; Kusoljariyakul, K.; Thongbai, C.

2014-01-01

A thermionic RF-gun for generating ultra-short electron bunches was optimized, developed and used as a source at a linac-based THz radiation research laboratory of the Plasma and Beam Physics Research Facility, Chiang Mai University, Thailand. The RF-gun is a π/2-mode standing wave structure, which consists of two S-band accelerating cells and a side-coupling cavity. The 2856 MHz RF wave is supplied from an S-band klystron to the gun through the waveguide input-port at the cylindrical wall of the second cell. A fraction of the RF power is coupled from the second cell to the first one via a side-coupling cavity. Both the waveguide input-port and the side-coupling cavity lead to an asymmetric geometry of the gun. RF properties and electromagnetic field distributions inside the RF-gun were studied and numerically simulated by using computer codes SUPERFISH 7.19 and CST Microwave Studio 2012 © . RF characterizations and tunings of the RF-gun were performed to ensure the reliability of the gun operation. The results from 3D simulations and measurements are compared and discussed in this paper. The influence of asymmetric field distributions inside the RF-gun on the electron beam properties was investigated via 3D beam dynamics simulations. A change in the coupling-plane of the side-coupling cavity is suggested to improve the gun performance

RF study and 3-D simulations of a side-coupling thermionic RF-gun

Science.gov (United States)

Rimjaem, S.; Kusoljariyakul, K.; Thongbai, C.

2014-02-01

A thermionic RF-gun for generating ultra-short electron bunches was optimized, developed and used as a source at a linac-based THz radiation research laboratory of the Plasma and Beam Physics Research Facility, Chiang Mai University, Thailand. The RF-gun is a π/2-mode standing wave structure, which consists of two S-band accelerating cells and a side-coupling cavity. The 2856 MHz RF wave is supplied from an S-band klystron to the gun through the waveguide input-port at the cylindrical wall of the second cell. A fraction of the RF power is coupled from the second cell to the first one via a side-coupling cavity. Both the waveguide input-port and the side-coupling cavity lead to an asymmetric geometry of the gun. RF properties and electromagnetic field distributions inside the RF-gun were studied and numerically simulated by using computer codes SUPERFISH 7.19 and CST Microwave Studio 2012©. RF characterizations and tunings of the RF-gun were performed to ensure the reliability of the gun operation. The results from 3D simulations and measurements are compared and discussed in this paper. The influence of asymmetric field distributions inside the RF-gun on the electron beam properties was investigated via 3D beam dynamics simulations. A change in the coupling-plane of the side-coupling cavity is suggested to improve the gun performance.

Electrodynamic wear of rails in high current density rail gun discharges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edwards, W.T.; Caldwell, S.G.

1984-01-01

Significant advances in high current, high speed power sources, has in recent years allowed rail guns to produce very high velocity (> 10 km/sec) macroscopic particles (> 1/10 grams). A continuing problem is the structural integrity of the components under these loadings and in particular, the rail wear due to the high current density plasma contacts. In this investigation a small bore rail gun (6x5 mm) was used with a 10.6 kjoule capacitor energy source to examine the modes of rail damage. The rails were constructed of 110 copper base material. These rails were used in an uncoated condition and also with plasma sprayed coatings of W and W/WC. The resulting surface wear was characterized by standard metallurgical techniques and analyzed for the various coatings

Microwave interferometry of PEOS plasma sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weber, B.V.; Commisso, R.J.; Goodrich, P.J.; Hinshelwood, D.D.; Neri, J.M.

1988-01-01

A 70 GHz microwave interferometer is used to measure the electron density for various configurations of sources used in plasma erosion opening switch (PEOS) experiments. The interferometer is a phase quadrature system, so the density can be measured as a function of time without ambiguity. Measurements have been made for carbon guns and flashboards driven by a .6 μF. 25 kV capacitor. The plasma density from a gun rises to its peak value in about 10 μs. Then decays in the next 40 μs. A metal screen placed between the gun and the microwave beam attenuates the plasma density by a factor greater than the geometrical transparency of the screen. Density measurements as a function of distance from the gun are analyzed to give the plasma spatial dependence, and the particle flux density and flow velocity are calculated from the continuity equation. Density values used to model previous PEOS experiments are comparable to the values measured here. The flashboard sources produce a denser, faster plasma that is more difficult to diagnose with the interferometer than the gun plasma because of refractive bending of the microwave beam. Reducing the plasma length reduces the refractive bending enough that some measurements are possible. Direct comparison with Gamble II PEOS experiments that used these flashboard sources may not be possible at this frequency because of refraction, but estimates based on measurements at larger distances give reasonable agreement with values used to model these experiments. Other measurements that will be presented include the effects of plasma flow against metal walls, effects of changing the driving current waveform, measurements made in actual experimental configurations and comparisons with Faraday cup and electric probe measurements

A study of the methods for the production and confinement of high energy plasmas. [injection of dense plasma into long magnetic field

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, D. Y.; Wang, P.

1972-01-01

The injection of dense plasmas into a B sub z long magnetic field from both ends of the field coil was investigated. Deflagration plasma guns and continuous flow Z-pinch are discussed along with the possibility of a continuous flow Z-pinch fusion reactor. The injection experiments are described with emphasis on the synchronization of the two plasma deflagration guns, the collision of the two plasma beams, and the determination of plasma density.

Characterisation of target plasma required for REB-plasma interaction studies using cylindrical Langmuir probes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roychowdhury, P.; Paithankar, A.S.; Iyyengar, S.K.; Rohatgi, V.K.

1987-01-01

The target plasma required for relativistic electron beam (REB)-plasma interaction studies has been generated by coaxial plasma gun. The measurement of electron density and temperature has been carried out using cylindrical Langmuir probes. Probes both oriented parallel and transverse to the flow have been used. The spatial as well as temporal variation of electron density and temperature have been studied. The typical electron density and temperature measured by probe were in the range of 9.0-3.5 x 10 13 cm -3 and 5-7 eV respectively. The typical e-folding decay time of density was 6.2 μs, while no appreciable change in electron temperature was observed until 10 μs after the peak density. The density decays by about 50% at distance of 30 cm from the gun. The plasma flow velocity has been measured by the time of flight technique and was found to be 2.5 x 10 6 cm s -1 . The plasma radius measured by dosimeter film, at distance of 30 cm from the gun was 3 cm. (author)

Propulsion of plasma by magnetic means

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bostick, W H [Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ (United States)

1958-07-01

It has been demonstrated that a small button gun can project plasma consisting of metallic ions, deuterium ions, and electrons at speeds up to 2 x 10{sup 7} cm/sec. These speeds are measured in a vacuum chamber by time-of-flight methods, using a probe and an oscilloscope. From the point of view of projecting high speed plasma in a given direction these button guns suffer from the certain weaknesses. A more efficient arrangement is to accelerate a sample of plasma by passing a current through the plasma as it rides on rails. Series plasma motor and a combination series-shunt plasma motor are analysed.

Investigation of a staged plasma-focus apparatus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, J.H.; McFarland, D.R.; Harries, W.L.

1978-01-01

A new staged plasma-focus geometry combining two Mather-type plasma-focus guns has been constructed, and the current-sheet dynamics investigated. The production of simultaneous pairs of plasma foci has been achieved. The intensities of X-ray and fusion-neutron emission were measured and found to agree with the scaling law for a plasma focus. Advantages of this new geometry include the possibility of using plasma-focus type pinches in multiple arrays at power levels beyond the validity regime of the current scaling law for a single gun. (author)

Temporal association between federal gun laws and the diversion of guns to criminals in Milwaukee.

Science.gov (United States)

Webster, Daniel W; Vernick, Jon S; Bulzacchelli, Maria T; Vittes, Katherine A

2012-02-01

The practices of licensed gun dealers can threaten the safety of urban residents by facilitating the diversion of guns to criminals. In 2003, changes to federal law shielded gun dealers from the release of gun trace data and provided other protections to gun dealers. The 14-month period during which the dealer did not sell junk guns was associated with a 68% reduction in the diversion of guns to criminals within a year of sale by the dealer and a 43% increase in guns diverted to criminals following sales by other dealers. The laws were associated with a 203% increase in the number of guns diverted to criminals within a year of sale by the gun store, which was the focus of this study. Policies which affect gun dealer accountability appeared to influence the diversion of guns to criminals.

On the jets, kinks, and spheromaks formed by a planar magnetized coaxial gun

OpenAIRE

Hsu, S. C.; Bellan, P. M.

2005-01-01

Measurements of the various plasma configurations produced by a planar magnetized coaxial gun provide insight into the magnetic topology evolution resulting from magnetic helicity injection. Important features of the experiments are a very simple coaxial gun design so that all observed geometrical complexity is due to the intrinsic physical dynamics rather than the source shape and use of a fast multiple-frame digital camera which provides direct imaging of topologically complex shapes and dy...

Effects of Exposure to Gun Violence in Movies on Children's Interest in Real Guns.

Science.gov (United States)

Dillon, Kelly P; Bushman, Brad J

2017-11-01

More US children die by accidental gun use than children in other developed countries. One factor that can influence children's interest in guns is exposure to media containing guns. To test whether children who see a movie containing guns will handle a real gun longer and will pull the trigger more times than children who see the same movie not containing guns. One hundred four children aged 8 to 12 years recruited through advertisements were randomly assigned in pairs to watch a 20-minute PG-rated movie containing or not containing guns in a university laboratory. Children then played with toys and games in a room for 20 minutes while being video recorded. A cabinet in the room contained a real (disabled) gun with a sensor counting trigger pulls. Recordings were coded for the time spent holding the gun and in aggressive play. Data were collected from July 15, 2015, through January 1, 2016, and analyzed using generalized estimating equations (Tweedie log-link for time spent holding the gun; Poisson log-link for pulling the trigger). The 2 main outcomes were time spent holding the gun and the number of trigger pulls. Control variables included sex, age, trait aggressiveness, exposure to violent media, interest in guns, and number of guns at home. Among the 104 study participants (62 boys [59.6%] and 42 girls [40.4%]; mean (SD) age, 9.9 [1.5] years), the adjusted median number of trigger pulls among children who saw the movie containing guns was 2.8 (interquartile range [IQR], 0.2-2.8) compared with 0.01 (IQR, 0.01-0.2) among children who saw the movie not containing guns (adjusted odds ratio, 22.3; 95% CI, 6.0-83.4; P gun among children who saw a movie containing guns was 53.1 (IQR, 35.5-53.1) compared with 11.1 (IQR, 10.7-16.7) among children who saw the movie not containing guns (adjusted odds ratio, 3.0; 95% CI, 0.9-9.9; P = .07). Qualitative analyses on 4 pairs from each condition found that children who saw the movie containing guns also played more

God and Guns: Examining Religious Influences on Gun Control Attitudes in the United States

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephen M. Merino

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Mass shootings in the United States have generated significant media coverage and public concern, invigorating debates over gun control. Media coverage and academic research on gun control attitudes and reactions to mass shootings have paid little attention to the role of religion. Recent research sheds light on the complex relationship between religion and guns, including higher rates of gun ownership and stronger opposition to gun control among white evangelical Protestants. Using nationally representative survey data, this study examines the relationship between religious identity, gun ownership, and support for a range of gun control policies, including proposed remedies for preventing mass shootings. Compared with individuals from other religious traditions, evangelical Protestants are most opposed to stricter gun control laws and enforcement, even with statistical controls for gun ownership and demographic characteristics. Rather, they favor individualistic solutions and putting more emphasis on religious values in their social surroundings. I discuss how these findings reflect the cultural tools evangelical Protestants use to construct their understandings of social problems, including gun violence, and the broader implications for gun policy in the United States.

RF study and 3-D simulations of a side-coupling thermionic RF-gun

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rimjaem, S., E-mail: sakhorn.rimjaem@cmu.ac.th [Department of Physics and Materials Science, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 (Thailand); Thailand Center of Excellence in Physics (ThEP), Commission on Higher Education, Bangkok 10400 (Thailand); Kusoljariyakul, K.; Thongbai, C. [Department of Physics and Materials Science, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 (Thailand); Thailand Center of Excellence in Physics (ThEP), Commission on Higher Education, Bangkok 10400 (Thailand)

2014-02-01

A thermionic RF-gun for generating ultra-short electron bunches was optimized, developed and used as a source at a linac-based THz radiation research laboratory of the Plasma and Beam Physics Research Facility, Chiang Mai University, Thailand. The RF-gun is a π/2-mode standing wave structure, which consists of two S-band accelerating cells and a side-coupling cavity. The 2856 MHz RF wave is supplied from an S-band klystron to the gun through the waveguide input-port at the cylindrical wall of the second cell. A fraction of the RF power is coupled from the second cell to the first one via a side-coupling cavity. Both the waveguide input-port and the side-coupling cavity lead to an asymmetric geometry of the gun. RF properties and electromagnetic field distributions inside the RF-gun were studied and numerically simulated by using computer codes SUPERFISH 7.19 and CST Microwave Studio 2012{sup ©}. RF characterizations and tunings of the RF-gun were performed to ensure the reliability of the gun operation. The results from 3D simulations and measurements are compared and discussed in this paper. The influence of asymmetric field distributions inside the RF-gun on the electron beam properties was investigated via 3D beam dynamics simulations. A change in the coupling-plane of the side-coupling cavity is suggested to improve the gun performance.

Sustained spheromak coaxial gun operation in the presence of an n=1 magnetic distortion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holcomb, C.T.; Jarboe, T.R.; Hill, D.N.; Woodruff, S.; Wood, R.D.

2006-01-01

The Sustained Spheromak Physics Experiment (SSPX) [E. B. Hooper, L. D. Pearlstein, and R. H. Bulmer, Nucl. Fusion 39, 863 (1999)] uses a magnetized coaxial gun to form and sustain spheromaks by helicity injection. Internal probes give the magnetic profile within the gun. An analysis of these data show that a number of commonly applied assumptions are not completely correct, and some previously unrecognized processes may be at work. Specifically, the fraction of the available vacuum flux spanning the gun that is stretched out of the gun is variable and not usually 100%. The n=1 mode that is present during sustained discharges has its largest value of δB/B within the gun, so that instantaneously B within the gun is not axisymmetric. By applying a rigid-rotor model to account for the mode, the instantaneous field and current structure within the gun are determined. The current density is also highly nonaxisymmetric and the local value of λ≡μ 0 j parallel /B is not constant, although the global value λ g ≡μ 0 I g /ψ g closely matches that expected by axisymmetric models. The current distribution near the gun muzzle suggests a cross-field current exists, and this is explained as a line-tying reaction to plasma rotation

Gun Theft and Crime.

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, Philip J

2018-06-01

Some law enforcement officials and other observers have asserted that theft is the primary source of guns to crime. In fact, the role of theft in supplying the guns used in robbery, assault, and murder is unknown, and current evidence provides little guidance about whether an effective program to reduce gun theft would reduce gun violence. The current article analyzes publicly available national data on gun theft together with a unique data set for Chicago. The results tend to support a conclusion that stolen guns play only a minor role in crime. First, publicly available data are used to calculate that thefts are only about 1% of all gun transactions nationwide. Second, an analysis of original data from Chicago demonstrates that less than 3% of crime guns recovered by the police have been reported stolen to the Chicago Police Department (CPD). If a gun is reported stolen, there is a 20% chance that it will be recovered, usually in conjunction with an arrest for illegal carrying. Less than half of those picked up with a stolen gun have a criminal record that includes violent offenses. Third, results from surveys of convicted criminals, both nationally and in Chicago, suggest that it is rare for respondents to have stolen the gun used in their most recent crime. The data on which these results are based have various shortcomings. A research agenda is proposed that would provide more certainty about the role of theft.

Electromagnetic compression gun for hypervelocity projectile acceleration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woo, J.T.

1987-01-01

The rapid acceleration of projectiles to very high velocities has applications in many areas. The general requirements for an effective system is simplicity, reliability, compactness and good efficiency. The authors developed a concept by using electromagnetic forces to compressionally heat a plasma to high temperature and pressure to serve as the propellant for the acceleration of projectiles. The concept shares the simplicity of the light gas gun, but because of the high temperature of the propellant, is capable of significantly higher performance. Unlike the electrothermal gun approach to raise the propellant temperature by resistive heating, the electromagnetic concept is more efficient at higher temperatures. Operationally, the concept resembles a railgun in requiring a large pulsed current to drive the system. However, the current flow in this case is entirely external to the gun barrel and is axisymmetric. Therefore, many of the problems associated with railgun operations are avoided. Furthermore, because the current channel is external, there is also greater flexibility in the choice of load impedance to match to the power supply. The concept can also be generalized to a multi-stage regenerative system driven by a pulse forming network to resemble a coaxial accelerator

Guns and Violence. Current Controversies.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Henny H., Ed.

This book focuses on gun violence and gun control, presenting both sides of arguments about firearms ownership and gun control. Each of five chapters poses a question about gun control and provides answers for both sides of the question. The following essays are included: (1) "Gun Violence Is Becoming an Epidemic" (Bob Herbert); (2) "Gun Violence…

Robe Development for Electrical Conductivity Analysis in an Electron Gun Produced Helium Plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Bragg-Sitton, Shannon M.; Bitteker, Leo; Rodgers, Stephen L. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The use of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) power conversion systems, potentially coupled with a fission power source, is currently being investigated as a driver for an advanced propulsion system, such as a plasma thruster. The efficiency of a MHD generator is strongly dependent on the electrical conductivity of the fluid that passes through the generator; power density increases as fluid conductivity increases. Although traditional MHD flows depend on thermal ionization to enhance the electrical conductivity, ionization due to nuclear interactions may achieve a comparable or improved conductivity enhancement while avoiding many of the limitations inherent to thermal ionization. Calculations suggest that nuclear-enhanced electrical conductivity increases as the neutron flux increases; conductivity of pure He-3 greater than 10 mho/m may be achievable if exposed to a flux greater than 10(exp 12) neutrons/cm2/s.) However, this remains to be demonstrated experimentally. An experimental facility has been constructed at the Propulsion Research Center at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, using helium as the test fluid. High energy electrons will be used to simulate the effects of neutron-induced ionization of helium gas to produce a plasma. These experiments will be focused on diagnosis of the plasma in a virtually static system; results will be applied to future tests with a MHD system. Initial experiments will utilize a 50 keV electron gun that can operate at up to a current of 200 micro A. Spreading the electron beam over a four inch diameter window results in an electron flux of 1.5x 10(exp 13) e/sq cm/s. The equivalent neutron flux that would produce the same ionization fraction in helium is 1x10(exp 12) n/sq cm/s. Experiments will simulate the neutron generated plasma modeled by Bitteker, which takes into account the products of thermal neutron absorption in He-3, and includes various ion species in estimating the conductivity of the resulting plasma. Several

Laboratory Experiments on Propagating Plasma Bubbles into Vacuum, Vacuum Magnetic Field, and Background Plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Lynn, Alan G.; Zhang, Yue; Gilmore, Mark; Hsu, Scott

2014-10-01

We discuss the dynamics of plasma ``bubbles'' as they propagate through a variety of background media. These bubbles are formed by a pulsed coaxial gun with an externally applied magnetic field. Bubble parameters are typically ne ~1020 m-3, Te ~ 5 - 10 eV, and Ti ~ 10 - 15 eV. The structure of the bubbles can range from unmagnetized jet-like structures to spheromak-like structures with complex magnetic flux surfaces. Some of the background media the bubbles interact with are vacuum, vacuum with magnetic field, and other magnetized plasmas. These bubbles exhibit different qualitative behavior depending on coaxial gun parameters such as gas species, gun current, and gun bias magnetic field. Their behavior also depends on the parameters of the background they propagate through. Multi-frame fast camera imaging and magnetic probe data are used to characterize the bubble evolution under various conditions.

Gun control saves lives

African Journals Online (AJOL)

gun control legislation. One study estimated that more than 4 500 lives were saved across five SA cities from 2001 to 2005.[5] Pro-gun interest groups seeking to promote gun ownership and diffusion have attacked these findings, suggesting that stricter gun control was only enacted in 2004 following the publication of ...

Experimental identification of the kink instability as a poloidal flux amplification mechanism for coaxial gun spheromak formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hsu, S.C.; Bellan, P.M.

2003-01-01

The magnetohydrodynamic kink instability is observed and identified experimentally as a poloidal flux amplification mechanism for coaxial gun spheromak formation. Plasmas in this experiment fall into three distinct regimes which depend on the peak gun current to magnetic flux ratio, with (I) low values resulting in a straight plasma column with helical magnetic field, (II) intermediate values leading to kinking of the column axis, and (III) high values leading immediately to a detached plasma. Onset of column kinking agrees quantitatively with the Kruskal-Shafranov limit, and the kink acts as a dynamo which converts toroidal to poloidal flux. Regime II clearly leads to both poloidal flux amplification and the development of a spheromak configuration

Experimental identification of the kink instability as a poloidal flux amplification mechanism for coaxial gun spheromak formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, S C; Bellan, P M

2003-05-30

The magnetohydrodynamic kink instability is observed and identified experimentally as a poloidal flux amplification mechanism for coaxial gun spheromak formation. Plasmas in this experiment fall into three distinct regimes which depend on the peak gun current to magnetic flux ratio, with (I) low values resulting in a straight plasma column with helical magnetic field, (II) intermediate values leading to kinking of the column axis, and (III) high values leading immediately to a detached plasma. Onset of column kinking agrees quantitatively with the Kruskal-Shafranov limit, and the kink acts as a dynamo which converts toroidal to poloidal flux. Regime II clearly leads to both poloidal flux amplification and the development of a spheromak configuration.

Characterisation of Plasma Filled Rod Pinch electron beam diode operation

Science.gov (United States)

MacDonald, James; Bland, Simon; Chittenden, Jeremy

2016-10-01

The plasma filled rod pinch diode (aka PFRP) offers a small radiographic spot size and a high brightness source. It operates in a very similar to plasma opening switches and dense plasma focus devices - with a plasma prefill, supplied via a number of simple coaxial plasma guns, being snowploughed along a thin rod cathode, before detaching at the end. The aim of this study is to model the PFRP and understand the factors that affect its performance, potentially improving future output. Given the dependence on the PFRP on the prefill, we are making detailed measurements of the density (1015-1018 cm-3), velocity, ionisation and temperature of the plasma emitted from a plasma gun/set of plasma guns. This will then be used to provide initial conditions to the Gorgon 3D MHD code, and the dynamics of the entire rod pinch process studied.

Gun Sales. Firearm Facts.

Science.gov (United States)

Duker, Laurie, Ed.

Minimal federal regulations on firearm sales have facilitated the proliferation of guns, gun owners, and gun dealers in the United States. This fact sheet offers data on the growing number of firearm dealers, the relative ease of obtaining and keeping a license to sell guns from the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the lack of…

The ORNL plasma fueling program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gouge, M.J.; Milora, S.L.; Foster, C.A.

1989-01-01

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has been developing pellet injectors for over ten years. These devices produce frozen hydrogen isotope pellets and then accelerate the projectiles to speeds in the km/s range by either pneumatic or mechanical techniques. A variety of designs have been developed, including single-shot guns, multiple-shot guns, machine guns, and centrifugal accelerators. These injectors have been used to inject hydrogen and deuterium pellets into plasmas on numerous tokamak experiments resulting in improved plasma performance. ORNL has recently provided pellet fueling systems for the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR), the Joint European Torus (JET), and the Tore Supra tokamak. This paper discusses developments on these injector designs. 10 refs

Racism, gun ownership and gun control: biased attitudes in US whites may influence policy decisions.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Brien, Kerry; Forrest, Walter; Lynott, Dermot; Daly, Michael

2013-01-01

Racism is related to policies preferences and behaviors that adversely affect blacks and appear related to a fear of blacks (e.g., increased policing, death penalty). This study examined whether racism is also related to gun ownership and opposition to gun controls in US whites. The most recent data from the American National Election Study, a large representative US sample, was used to test relationships between racism, gun ownership, and opposition to gun control in US whites. Explanatory variables known to be related to gun ownership and gun control opposition (i.e., age, gender, education, income, conservatism, anti-government sentiment, southern vs. other states, political identification) were entered in logistic regression models, along with measures of racism, and the stereotype of blacks as violent. Outcome variables included; having a gun in the home, opposition to bans on handguns in the home, support for permits to carry concealed handguns. After accounting for all explanatory variables, logistic regressions found that for each 1 point increase in symbolic racism there was a 50% increase in the odds of having a gun at home. After also accounting for having a gun in the home, there was still a 28% increase in support for permits to carry concealed handguns, for each one point increase in symbolic racism. The relationship between symbolic racism and opposition to banning handguns in the home (OR1.27 CI 1.03,1.58) was reduced to non-significant after accounting for having a gun in the home (OR1.17 CI.94,1.46), which likely represents self-interest in retaining property (guns). Symbolic racism was related to having a gun in the home and opposition to gun control policies in US whites. The findings help explain US whites' paradoxical attitudes towards gun ownership and gun control. Such attitudes may adversely influence US gun control policy debates and decisions.

Modeling of Plasma-Induced Ignition and Combustion

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Boyd, Iain D; Keidar, Michael

2008-01-01

.... Phenomena that must be considered in an electrothermal chemical gun model include the initial capillary plasma properties, the plasma-air interaction, plasma sheath effects, and the plasma-propellant interaction itself...

Plasma ignition of LOVA propellants

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Driel, C.A. van; Boluijt, A.G.; Schilt, A.

2010-01-01

Ignition experiments were performed using a gun simulator which is equipped with a burst disk. This equipment facilitates the application of propellant loading densities which are comparable to those applied in regular ammunitions. For this study the gun simulator was equipped with a plasma jet

A Physics Exploratory Experiment on Plasma Liner Formation

Science.gov (United States)

Thio, Y. C. Francis; Knapp, Charles E.; Kirkpatrick, Ronald C.; Siemon, Richard E.; Turchi, Peter

2002-01-01

Momentum flux for imploding a target plasma in magnetized target fusion (MTF) may be delivered by an array of plasma guns launching plasma jets that would merge to form an imploding plasma shell (liner). In this paper, we examine what would be a worthwhile experiment to do in order to explore the dynamics of merging plasma jets to form a plasma liner as a first step in establishing an experimental database for plasma-jets driven magnetized target fusion (PJETS-MTF). Using past experience in fusion energy research as a model, we envisage a four-phase program to advance the art of PJETS-MTF to fusion breakeven Q is approximately 1). The experiment (PLX (Plasma Liner Physics Exploratory Experiment)) described in this paper serves as Phase I of this four-phase program. The logic underlying the selection of the experimental parameters is presented. The experiment consists of using twelve plasma guns arranged in a circle, launching plasma jets towards the center of a vacuum chamber. The velocity of the plasma jets chosen is 200 km/s, and each jet is to carry a mass of 0.2 mg - 0.4 mg. A candidate plasma accelerator for launching these jets consists of a coaxial plasma gun of the Marshall type.

Steady state compact toroidal plasma production

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, William C.

1986-01-01

Apparatus and method for maintaining steady state compact toroidal plasmas. A compact toroidal plasma is formed by a magnetized coaxial plasma gun and held in close proximity to the gun electrodes by applied magnetic fields or magnetic fields produced by image currents in conducting walls. Voltage supply means maintains a constant potential across the electrodes producing an increasing magnetic helicity which drives the plasma away from a minimum energy state. The plasma globally relaxes to a new minimum energy state, conserving helicity according to Taylor's relaxation hypothesis, and injecting net helicity into the core of the compact toroidal plasma. Controlling the voltage so as to inject net helicity at a predetermined rate based on dissipative processes maintains or increases the compact toroidal plasma in a time averaged steady state mode.

Determination of the Basis for Temperature Compensation in ETC Ignited Solid Propellant Guns

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Pesce-Rodriguez, R. A; Beyer, R. A

2004-01-01

A series of experiments and reanalysis of previously published results has led to the discovery of the key interaction between the plasma of an electrothermal igniter and the gun propellant in large caliber cannon...

Development of a double plasma gun device for investigation of effects of vapor shielding on erosion of PFC materials under ELM-like pulsed plasma bombardment

Science.gov (United States)

Sakuma, I.; Iwamoto, D.; Kitagawa, Y.; Kikuchi, Y.; Fukumoto, N.; Nagata, M.

2012-10-01

It is considered that thermal transient events such as type I edge localized modes (ELMs) could limit the lifetime of plasma-facing components (PFCs) in ITER. We have investigated surface damage of tungsten (W) materials under transient heat and particle loads by using a magnetized coaxial plasma gun (MCPG) device at University of Hyogo. The capacitor bank energy for the plasma discharge is 144 kJ (2.88 mF, 10 kVmax). Surface melting of a W material was clearly observed at the energy density of ˜2 MJ/m2. It is known that surface melting and evaporation during a transient heat load could generate a vapor cloud layer in front of the target material [1]. Then, the subsequent erosion could be reduced by the vapor shielding effect. In this study, we introduce a new experiment using two MCPG devices (MCPG-1, 2) to understand vapor shielding effects of a W surface under ELM-like pulsed plasma bombardment. The capacitor bank energy of MCPG-2 is almost same as that of MCPG-1. The second plasmoid is applied with a variable delay time after the plasmoid produced by MCPG-1. Then, a vapor cloud layer could shield the second plasma load. To verify the vapor shielding effects, surface damage of a W material is investigated by changing the delay time. In the conference, the preliminary experimental results will be shown.[4pt] [1] A. Hassanein et al., J. Nucl. Mater. 390-391, pp. 777-780 (2009).

Racism, gun ownership and gun control: biased attitudes in US whites may influence policy decisions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kerry O'Brien

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Racism is related to policies preferences and behaviors that adversely affect blacks and appear related to a fear of blacks (e.g., increased policing, death penalty. This study examined whether racism is also related to gun ownership and opposition to gun controls in US whites. METHOD: The most recent data from the American National Election Study, a large representative US sample, was used to test relationships between racism, gun ownership, and opposition to gun control in US whites. Explanatory variables known to be related to gun ownership and gun control opposition (i.e., age, gender, education, income, conservatism, anti-government sentiment, southern vs. other states, political identification were entered in logistic regression models, along with measures of racism, and the stereotype of blacks as violent. Outcome variables included; having a gun in the home, opposition to bans on handguns in the home, support for permits to carry concealed handguns. RESULTS: After accounting for all explanatory variables, logistic regressions found that for each 1 point increase in symbolic racism there was a 50% increase in the odds of having a gun at home. After also accounting for having a gun in the home, there was still a 28% increase in support for permits to carry concealed handguns, for each one point increase in symbolic racism. The relationship between symbolic racism and opposition to banning handguns in the home (OR1.27 CI 1.03,1.58 was reduced to non-significant after accounting for having a gun in the home (OR1.17 CI.94,1.46, which likely represents self-interest in retaining property (guns. CONCLUSIONS: Symbolic racism was related to having a gun in the home and opposition to gun control policies in US whites. The findings help explain US whites' paradoxical attitudes towards gun ownership and gun control. Such attitudes may adversely influence US gun control policy debates and decisions.

Racism, Gun Ownership and Gun Control: Biased Attitudes in US Whites May Influence Policy Decisions

Science.gov (United States)

O’Brien, Kerry; Forrest, Walter; Lynott, Dermot; Daly, Michael

2013-01-01

Objective Racism is related to policies preferences and behaviors that adversely affect blacks and appear related to a fear of blacks (e.g., increased policing, death penalty). This study examined whether racism is also related to gun ownership and opposition to gun controls in US whites. Method The most recent data from the American National Election Study, a large representative US sample, was used to test relationships between racism, gun ownership, and opposition to gun control in US whites. Explanatory variables known to be related to gun ownership and gun control opposition (i.e., age, gender, education, income, conservatism, anti-government sentiment, southern vs. other states, political identification) were entered in logistic regression models, along with measures of racism, and the stereotype of blacks as violent. Outcome variables included; having a gun in the home, opposition to bans on handguns in the home, support for permits to carry concealed handguns. Results After accounting for all explanatory variables, logistic regressions found that for each 1 point increase in symbolic racism there was a 50% increase in the odds of having a gun at home. After also accounting for having a gun in the home, there was still a 28% increase in support for permits to carry concealed handguns, for each one point increase in symbolic racism. The relationship between symbolic racism and opposition to banning handguns in the home (OR1.27 CI 1.03,1.58) was reduced to non-significant after accounting for having a gun in the home (OR1.17 CI.94,1.46), which likely represents self-interest in retaining property (guns). Conclusions Symbolic racism was related to having a gun in the home and opposition to gun control policies in US whites. The findings help explain US whites’ paradoxical attitudes towards gun ownership and gun control. Such attitudes may adversely influence US gun control policy debates and decisions. PMID:24204867

Gun power source for electron gun of 3 MeV DC accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dewangan, S.; Sharma, D.K.; Nanu, K.

2011-01-01

In DC electron beam accelerator electron gun is situated at high voltage terminal which requires constant power irrespective of beam energy. Floating power source is required for gun. This paper describes the scheme of static gun power source derived from parallel coupled voltage multiplier column. (author)

Design of spherical electron gun for ultra high frequency, CW power inductive output tube

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaushik, Meenu; Joshi, L. M.

2016-01-01

Inductive Output Tube (IOT) is an amplifier that usually operates in UHF range. It is an electron tube whose basic structure is similar to conventional vacuum devices. This device is widely used in broadcast applications but is now being explored for scientific applications also specifically, particle accelerators and fusion plasma heating purposes. The paper describes the design approach of a spherical gridded electron gun of a 500 MHz, 100 kW CW power IOT. The electron gun structure has been simulated and optimized for operating voltage and current of 40kV and 3.5 A respectively. The electromagnetic analysis of this spherical electron gun has been carried out in CST and TRAK codes.

Design of spherical electron gun for ultra high frequency, CW power inductive output tube

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaushik, Meenu, E-mail: mkceeri@gmail.com; Joshi, L. M., E-mail: lmj1953@gmail.com [Microwave Tubes Division, CSIR-Central Electronics Engineering Research Institute (CEERI), Pilani, Rajasthan (India); Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), New Delhi (India)

2016-03-09

Inductive Output Tube (IOT) is an amplifier that usually operates in UHF range. It is an electron tube whose basic structure is similar to conventional vacuum devices. This device is widely used in broadcast applications but is now being explored for scientific applications also specifically, particle accelerators and fusion plasma heating purposes. The paper describes the design approach of a spherical gridded electron gun of a 500 MHz, 100 kW CW power IOT. The electron gun structure has been simulated and optimized for operating voltage and current of 40kV and 3.5 A respectively. The electromagnetic analysis of this spherical electron gun has been carried out in CST and TRAK codes.

Preparation of targets using electron gun systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maier-Komor, P.

1975-01-01

Most targets of isotopes with very low vapor pressure can only be fabricated by vacuum deposition using an electron gun system or a heavy ion sputtering system. Heavy ion sputtering is a very new technique with many unsolved problems. Therefore it seems to be easier to work with an electron gun. Different commercially available electron guns, which are all designed for the high evaporation rates used in industry, are examined for their qualification in processing small amounts of material as used in fabrication of isotope targets. Electron backscattering and the associated efficiency of the electron beam power is strongly dependent on the atomic number Z of the evaporant and the incident angle of the electron beam on the surface of the evaporant. This dependence leads also to the undesired effects to the target layers from electrons and ions. Some precautions are necessary against the effects of the electrons and ions, which are formed in the plasma directly over the beam impact point. Beam power and beam density have to be chosen to get a constant evaporation rate and a low enough condensation rate in order not to overheat the target substrates. To evaporate some metals it may be helpful to pulse the electron beam

Electron guns for accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rangarajan, L.M.; Mahadevan, S.; Ramamurthi, S.S.

1995-01-01

The high voltage, high current electron guns developed elsewhere for Linacs are based on cathode pulsing with direct emitting cathodes. Our grid pulsed triode gun employs indirect emitting cathode pellet under electron bombardment or a direct cathode emitter. Electron beam from the gun is injected to the accelerator guide at 40 kV and pulse duration is 2.8μsec. The gun is limited to axially symmetric geometry and electron optical design is optimized by computer programming. The gun with a water cooled Faraday cup is connected to a vacuum system comprising of a sputter ion pump and sorption pump. Working pressure is 1x10 -6 Pa. Gun is designed to be baked as an assembly at temperatures of 400 degC while vacuum processing. Materials are therefore restricted to refractory metals, SS, OFHC copper and all the electrodes are housed inside a ceramic tube. Lower Z graphite is used as a base material of Faraday cup. Grid is non-intercepting modulator anode, a new feature introduced, as compared to meshed grid system by others. CAT gun delivers 160 mA current pulses at 40 kV and its working characteristics such as perveance, emittance and beam radius compare well with SLAC and Hermosa guns. The above guns can be used for electron beam machines such as medical Linacs, industrial accelerators and EB welding equipment. (author). 2 refs., 2 figs

Plasma Liner Research for MTF at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

Science.gov (United States)

Thio, Y. C. F.; Eskridge, R.; Lee, M.; Martin, A.; Smith, J.; Cassibry, J. T.; Wu, S. T.; Kirkpatrick, R. C.; Knapp, C. E.; Turchi, P. J.;

Modification of anisotropic plasma diffusion via auxiliary electrons emitted by a carbon nanotubes-based electron gun in an electron cyclotron resonance ion source.

Science.gov (United States)

Malferrari, L; Odorici, F; Veronese, G P; Rizzoli, R; Mascali, D; Celona, L; Gammino, S; Castro, G; Miracoli, R; Serafino, T

2012-02-01

The diffusion mechanism in magnetized plasmas is a largely debated issue. A short circuit model was proposed by Simon, assuming fluxes of lost particles along the axial (electrons) and radial (ions) directions which can be compensated, to preserve the quasi-neutrality, by currents flowing throughout the conducting plasma chamber walls. We hereby propose a new method to modify Simon's currents via electrons injected by a carbon nanotubes-based electron gun. We found this improves the source performances, increasing the output current for several charge states. The method is especially sensitive to the pumping frequency. Output currents for given charge states, at different auxiliary electron currents, will be reported in the paper and the influence of the frequency tuning on the compensation mechanism will be discussed.

Carbon Nanotube Electron Gun

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Cattien V. (Inventor); Ribaya, Bryan P. (Inventor)

2013-01-01

An electron gun, an electron source for an electron gun, an extractor for an electron gun, and a respective method for producing the electron gun, the electron source and the extractor are disclosed. Embodiments provide an electron source utilizing a carbon nanotube (CNT) bonded to a substrate for increased stability, reliability, and durability. An extractor with an aperture in a conductive material is used to extract electrons from the electron source, where the aperture may substantially align with the CNT of the electron source when the extractor and electron source are mated to form the electron gun. The electron source and extractor may have alignment features for aligning the electron source and the extractor, thereby bringing the aperture and CNT into substantial alignment when assembled. The alignment features may provide and maintain this alignment during operation to improve the field emission characteristics and overall system stability of the electron gun.

Charge modes of pulsed high energy and high density plasma injection source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, D.Y.

1974-01-01

Detonation (snowplow), deflagration and other modes of discharge can be produced in a single coaxial plasma gun. Conservation laws of mass, momentum and energy together with the entropy production condition of the discharge phenomena are used to identify dense discharge modes. The Rankine-Hugoniot relation for a magnetized plasma is derived. Discussions of how to design a deflagration plasma gun to yield a prescribed plasma kinetic energy and plasma beam density are given

An Experimental Study of a Low-Jitter Pulsed Electromagnetic Plasma Accelerator

Science.gov (United States)

Thio, Y. C. Francis; Lee, Michael; Eskridge, Richard; Smith, James; Martin, Adam; Rodgers, Stephen L. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

An experimental plasma accelerator for a variety of applications under development at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center is described. The accelerator is a pulsed plasma thruster and has been tested experimentally and plasma jet velocities of approximately 50 kilometers per second have been obtained. The plasma jet structure has been photographed with 10 ns exposure times to reveal a stable and repeatable plasma structure. Data for velocity profile information has been obtained using light pipes embedded in the gun walls to record the plasma transit at various barrel locations. Preliminary spatially resolved spectral data and magnetic field probe data are also presented. A high speed triggering system has been developed and tested as a means of reducing the gun "jitter". This jitter has been characterized and future work for second generation "ultra-low jitter" gun development is identified.

Rocket borne electron accelerator results pertaining to the beam plasma discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kellogg, P.J.; Monson, S.J.

1981-01-01

The beam plasma discharge (BPD) is a state in which plasma instabilities accelerate electrons sufficiently to ionize a neutral background. A description is given of a number of ionospheric experiments which fall into two classes based on gun perveance. In the first class, an electron gun of high perveance has been operated at comparatively low potentials in the range from 2 to 8 kV and beam currents up to approximately 100 mA. The second group, the Electron Echo experiments, have used beam voltages in the range from 10 to 40 kV, and perveance guns with beam currents on the order of 100 mA and 1 A. Evidence is presented that the beam plasma discharge is excited by gun pulses of the lower voltage and higher perveance type

Gun Violence, Mental Illness, And Laws That Prohibit Gun Possession: Evidence From Two Florida Counties.

Science.gov (United States)

Swanson, Jeffrey W; Easter, Michele M; Robertson, Allison G; Swartz, Marvin S; Alanis-Hirsch, Kelly; Moseley, Daniel; Dion, Charles; Petrila, John

2016-06-01

Gun violence kills about ninety people every day in the United States, a toll measured in wasted and ruined lives and with an annual economic price tag exceeding $200 billion. Some policy makers suggest that reforming mental health care systems and improving point-of-purchase background checks to keep guns from mentally disturbed people will address the problem. Epidemiological research shows that serious mental illness contributes little to the risk of interpersonal violence but is a strong factor in suicide, which accounts for most firearm fatalities. Meanwhile, the effectiveness of gun restrictions focused on mental illness remains poorly understood. This article examines gun-related suicide and violent crime in people with serious mental illnesses, and whether legal restrictions on firearm sales to people with a history of mental health adjudication are effective in preventing gun violence. Among the study population in two large Florida counties, we found that 62 percent of violent gun crime arrests and 28 percent of gun suicides involved individuals not legally permitted to have a gun at the time. Suggested policy reforms include enacting risk-based gun removal laws and prohibiting guns from people involuntarily detained in short-term psychiatric hospitalizations. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Sanoli Gun

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Proceedings – Mathematical Sciences. Sanoli Gun. Articles written in Proceedings – Mathematical Sciences. Volume 119 Issue 3 June 2009 pp 275-281. Remarks on some Zero-Sum Theorems · S D Adhikari Sanoli Gun Purusottam Rath · More Details Abstract Fulltext PDF. In the present paper, we give a ...

Large Bore Powder Gun Qualification (U)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rabern, Donald A. [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Valdiviez, Robert [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2012-04-02

A Large Bore Powder Gun (LBPG) is being designed to enable experimentalists to characterize material behavior outside the capabilities of the NNSS JASPER and LANL TA-55 PF-4 guns. The combination of these three guns will create a capability to conduct impact experiments over a wide range of pressures and shock profiles. The Large Bore Powder Gun will be fielded at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) U1a Complex. The Complex is nearly 1000 ft below ground with dedicated drifts for testing, instrumentation, and post-shot entombment. To ensure the reliability, safety, and performance of the LBPG, a qualification plan has been established and documented here. Requirements for the LBPG have been established and documented in WE-14-TR-0065 U A, Large Bore Powder Gun Customer Requirements. The document includes the requirements for the physics experiments, the gun and confinement systems, and operations at NNSS. A detailed description of the requirements is established in that document and is referred to and quoted throughout this document. Two Gun and Confinement Systems will be fielded. The Prototype Gun will be used primarily to characterize the gun and confinement performance and be the primary platform for qualification actions. This gun will also be used to investigate and qualify target and diagnostic modifications through the life of the program (U1a.104 Drift). An identical gun, the Physics Gun, will be fielded for confirmatory and Pu experiments (U1a.102D Drift). Both guns will be qualified for operation. The Gun and Confinement System design will be qualified through analysis, inspection, and testing using the Prototype Gun for the majority of process. The Physics Gun will be qualified through inspection and a limited number of qualification tests to ensure performance and behavior equivalent to the Prototype gun. Figure 1.1 shows the partial configuration of U1a and the locations of the Prototype and Physics Gun/Confinement Systems.

Quasi-steady state, low current behaviour of a magnetized coaxial plasma source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gray, Travis K; Mayo, Robert M; Bourham, Mohamed A

2005-01-01

The Coaxial Plasma Source-1 facility (Mayo R M et al 1995 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 4 47) was modified from a short pulse, high current (SPHC) pulse forming network (PFN) with very low inductance (∼200 nH) to a large inductance ladder circuit. This modification allows for a longer, flat top gun current pulse that eliminates the under-damped, sinusoidal behaviour of the gun current with consequent interruptions in plasma parameters. The new PFN was designed to produce a current waveform for a much longer period (∼1 ms). As a consequence of increasing the pulse length, the magnitude of the gun current was reduced as no additional energy storage was added to the PFN. The characterization of the electrical and plasma behaviour of the experiment operated with the long pulse, low current (LPLC) PFN is presented. The gun currents produced by the LPLC PFN are approximately one-fifth in magnitude of the gun currents produced by the SPHC PFN. Axial plasma parameters were measured near the muzzle of the plasma source, and electron densities were found to range from 1 x 10 19 m -3 to 7 x 10 19 m -3 depending upon the axial location. These values are approximately 1-2 orders of magnitude less than the electron densities produced by the SPHC PFN at the same locations. Electron temperatures range from 30 to 60 eV at these locations and are very similar to those produced by the SPHC PFN. A resistive MHD model was applied as an order estimate of the plasma resistivity and demonstrates reasonable agreement with measured values of the magnetized coaxial gun resistance

Quasi-steady state, low current behaviour of a magnetized coaxial plasma source

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gray, Travis K; Mayo, Robert M; Bourham, Mohamed A [Department of Nuclear Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7909 (United States)

2005-11-15

The Coaxial Plasma Source-1 facility (Mayo R M et al 1995 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 4 47) was modified from a short pulse, high current (SPHC) pulse forming network (PFN) with very low inductance ({approx}200 nH) to a large inductance ladder circuit. This modification allows for a longer, flat top gun current pulse that eliminates the under-damped, sinusoidal behaviour of the gun current with consequent interruptions in plasma parameters. The new PFN was designed to produce a current waveform for a much longer period ({approx}1 ms). As a consequence of increasing the pulse length, the magnitude of the gun current was reduced as no additional energy storage was added to the PFN. The characterization of the electrical and plasma behaviour of the experiment operated with the long pulse, low current (LPLC) PFN is presented. The gun currents produced by the LPLC PFN are approximately one-fifth in magnitude of the gun currents produced by the SPHC PFN. Axial plasma parameters were measured near the muzzle of the plasma source, and electron densities were found to range from 1 x 10{sup 19} m{sup -3} to 7 x 10{sup 19} m{sup -3} depending upon the axial location. These values are approximately 1-2 orders of magnitude less than the electron densities produced by the SPHC PFN at the same locations. Electron temperatures range from 30 to 60 eV at these locations and are very similar to those produced by the SPHC PFN. A resistive MHD model was applied as an order estimate of the plasma resistivity and demonstrates reasonable agreement with measured values of the magnetized coaxial gun resistance.

A tapered multi-gap multi-aperture pseudospark-sourced electron gun based X-band slow wave oscillator

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, N.; Lamba, R. P.; Hossain, A. M.; Pal, U. N.; Phelps, A. D. R.; Prakash, R.

2017-11-01

The experimental study of a tapered, multi-gap, multi-aperture pseudospark-sourced electron gun based X-band plasma assisted slow wave oscillator is presented. The designed electron gun is based on the pseudospark discharge concept and has been used to generate a high current density and high energy electron beam simultaneously. The distribution of apertures has been arranged such that the field penetration potency inside the backspace of the hollow-cathode is different while passing through the tapered gap region. This leads to non-concurrent ignition of the discharge through all the channels which is, in general, quite challenging in the case of multi-aperture plasma cathode electron gun geometries. Multiple and successive hollow cathode phases are reported from this electron gun geometry, which have been confirmed using simulations. This geometry also has led to the achievement of ˜71% fill factor inside the slow wave oscillator for an electron beam of energy of 20 keV and a beam current density in the range of 115-190 A/cm2 at a working argon gas pressure of 18 Pa. The oscillator has generated broadband microwave output in the frequency range of 10-11.7 GHz with a peak power of ˜10 kW for ˜50 ns.

An RF ion source based primary ion gun for secondary ion mass spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Menon, Ranjini; Nabhiraj, P.Y.; Bhandari, R.K.

2011-01-01

In this article we present the design, development and characterization of an RF plasma based ion gun as a primary ion gun for SIMS application. RF ion sources, in particular Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) ion sources are superior compared to LMIS and duoplasmtron ion sources since they are filamentless, can produce ions of gaseous elements. At the same time, ICP ion sources offer high angular current density which is an important factor in producing high current in small spot size on the target. These high current microprobes improve the signal to noise ratio by three orders as compared to low current ion sources such as LMIS. In addition, the high current microprobes have higher surface and depth profiling speeds. In this article we describe a simple ion source in its very basic form, two lens optical column and characteristics of microprobe

Goods for Guns--the use of a gun buyback as an injury prevention/community education tool.

Science.gov (United States)

McGuire, Margaret; Manno, Mariann; Rook, Allison; Maranda, Louise; Renaud, Elizabeth; DeRoss, Anthony; Hirsh, Michael

2011-11-01

US children aged between 5 years and 14 years have a rate of gun-related homicide 17 times higher and a rate of gun-related suicide and unintentional firearm injury 10 times higher than other developed countries. Gun buyback programs have been criticized as ineffective interventions in decreasing violence. The Injury Free Coalition for Kids-Worcester (IFCK-W) Goods for Guns buyback is a multipronged approach to address these concerns and to reduce the number of firearms in the community. The IFCK-W buyback program is funded by corporate sponsors, grants, and individual donations. Citizens are instructed to transport guns, ammunition, and weapons safely to police headquarters on two Saturdays in December. Participants are guaranteed anonymity by the District Attorney's office and receive gift certificates for operable guns. Trained volunteers administer an anonymous survey to willing participants. Individuals who disclose having unsafely stored guns remaining at home receive educational counseling and trigger locks. Guns and ammunition are destroyed at a later time in a gun crushing ceremony. Since 2002, 1,861 guns (444 rifle/shotgun, 738 pistol/revolver, and 679 automatic/semiautomatic) have been collected at a cost of $99,250 (average, $53/gun). Seven hundred ten people have surrendered firearms, 534 surveys have been administered, and ≈ 75 trigger locks have been distributed per year. IFCK-W Goods for Guns is a relatively inexpensive injury prevention model program that removes unwanted firearms from homes, raises community awareness about gun safety, and provides high-risk individuals with trigger locks and educational counseling.

Injection of auxiliary electrons for increasing the plasma density in highly charged and high intensity ion sources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Odorici, F., E-mail: fabrizio.odorici@bo.infn.it; Malferrari, L.; Montanari, A. [INFN—Bologna, Viale B. Pichat, 6/2, 40127 Bologna (Italy); Rizzoli, R. [INFN—Bologna, Viale B. Pichat, 6/2, 40127 Bologna (Italy); CNR–Istituto per la Microelettronica ed i Microsistemi, Via Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna (Italy); Mascali, D.; Castro, G.; Celona, L.; Gammino, S.; Neri, L. [INFN–Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Via S. Sofia 62, 95125 Catania (Italy)

2016-02-15

Different electron guns based on cold- or hot-cathode technologies have been developed since 2009 at INFN for operating within ECR plasma chambers as sources of auxiliary electrons, with the aim of boosting the source performances by means of a higher plasma lifetime and density. Their application to microwave discharge ion sources, where plasma is not confined, has required an improvement of the gun design, in order to “screen” the cathode from the plasma particles. Experimental tests carried out on a plasma reactor show a boost of the plasma density, ranging from 10% to 90% when the electron guns are used, as explained by plasma diffusion models.

Injection of auxiliary electrons for increasing the plasma density in highly charged and high intensity ion sources.

Science.gov (United States)

Odorici, F; Malferrari, L; Montanari, A; Rizzoli, R; Mascali, D; Castro, G; Celona, L; Gammino, S; Neri, L

2016-02-01

Different electron guns based on cold- or hot-cathode technologies have been developed since 2009 at INFN for operating within ECR plasma chambers as sources of auxiliary electrons, with the aim of boosting the source performances by means of a higher plasma lifetime and density. Their application to microwave discharge ion sources, where plasma is not confined, has required an improvement of the gun design, in order to "screen" the cathode from the plasma particles. Experimental tests carried out on a plasma reactor show a boost of the plasma density, ranging from 10% to 90% when the electron guns are used, as explained by plasma diffusion models.

A Thomson-type mass and energy spectrometer for characterizing ion energy distributions in a coaxial plasma gun operating in a gas-puff mode

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rieker, G. B.; Poehlmann, F. R.; Cappelli, M. A. [High Temperature Gasdynamics Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305 (United States)

2013-07-15

Measurements of ion energy distribution are performed in the accelerated plasma of a coaxial electromagnetic plasma gun operating in a gas-puff mode at relatively low discharge energy (900 J) and discharge potential (4 kV). The measurements are made using a Thomson-type mass and energy spectrometer with a gated microchannel plate and phosphor screen as the ion sensor. The parabolic ion trajectories are captured from the sensor screen with an intensified charge-coupled detector camera. The spectrometer was designed and calibrated using the Geant4 toolkit, accounting for the effects on the ion trajectories of spatial non-uniformities in the spectrometer magnetic and electric fields. Results for hydrogen gas puffs indicate the existence of a class of accelerated protons with energies well above the coaxial discharge potential (up to 24 keV). The Thomson analyzer confirms the presence of impurities of copper and iron, also of relatively high energies, which are likely erosion or sputter products from plasma-electrode interactions.

A Thomson-type mass and energy spectrometer for characterizing ion energy distributions in a coaxial plasma gun operating in a gas-puff mode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rieker, G. B.; Poehlmann, F. R.; Cappelli, M. A.

2013-01-01

Measurements of ion energy distribution are performed in the accelerated plasma of a coaxial electromagnetic plasma gun operating in a gas-puff mode at relatively low discharge energy (900 J) and discharge potential (4 kV). The measurements are made using a Thomson-type mass and energy spectrometer with a gated microchannel plate and phosphor screen as the ion sensor. The parabolic ion trajectories are captured from the sensor screen with an intensified charge-coupled detector camera. The spectrometer was designed and calibrated using the Geant4 toolkit, accounting for the effects on the ion trajectories of spatial non-uniformities in the spectrometer magnetic and electric fields. Results for hydrogen gas puffs indicate the existence of a class of accelerated protons with energies well above the coaxial discharge potential (up to 24 keV). The Thomson analyzer confirms the presence of impurities of copper and iron, also of relatively high energies, which are likely erosion or sputter products from plasma-electrode interactions

A Thomson-type mass and energy spectrometer for characterizing ion energy distributions in a coaxial plasma gun operating in a gas-puff mode

Science.gov (United States)

Rieker, G. B.; Poehlmann, F. R.; Cappelli, M. A.

2013-07-01

Measurements of ion energy distribution are performed in the accelerated plasma of a coaxial electromagnetic plasma gun operating in a gas-puff mode at relatively low discharge energy (900 J) and discharge potential (4 kV). The measurements are made using a Thomson-type mass and energy spectrometer with a gated microchannel plate and phosphor screen as the ion sensor. The parabolic ion trajectories are captured from the sensor screen with an intensified charge-coupled detector camera. The spectrometer was designed and calibrated using the Geant4 toolkit, accounting for the effects on the ion trajectories of spatial non-uniformities in the spectrometer magnetic and electric fields. Results for hydrogen gas puffs indicate the existence of a class of accelerated protons with energies well above the coaxial discharge potential (up to 24 keV). The Thomson analyzer confirms the presence of impurities of copper and iron, also of relatively high energies, which are likely erosion or sputter products from plasma-electrode interactions.

A Thomson-type mass and energy spectrometer for characterizing ion energy distributions in a coaxial plasma gun operating in a gas-puff mode.

Science.gov (United States)

Rieker, G B; Poehlmann, F R; Cappelli, M A

2013-07-01

Measurements of ion energy distribution are performed in the accelerated plasma of a coaxial electromagnetic plasma gun operating in a gas-puff mode at relatively low discharge energy (900 J) and discharge potential (4 kV). The measurements are made using a Thomson-type mass and energy spectrometer with a gated microchannel plate and phosphor screen as the ion sensor. The parabolic ion trajectories are captured from the sensor screen with an intensified charge-coupled detector camera. The spectrometer was designed and calibrated using the Geant4 toolkit, accounting for the effects on the ion trajectories of spatial non-uniformities in the spectrometer magnetic and electric fields. Results for hydrogen gas puffs indicate the existence of a class of accelerated protons with energies well above the coaxial discharge potential (up to 24 keV). The Thomson analyzer confirms the presence of impurities of copper and iron, also of relatively high energies, which are likely erosion or sputter products from plasma-electrode interactions.

Helium-plasma heating with a powerful proton beam for spectroscopic applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arteev, M.S.; Kuznetsov, A.A.; Sulakshin, S.S.

1986-01-01

In this work the authors consider an ion gun which was especially developed for producing a gas plasma and report on the details of an experiment on (ELLIGIBLE) plasma spectroscopy. The current density of the proton beam was measured in the experiments on the axis of the gas tube with the aid of a collimating current collector with the wave impedance of a 75 omega cable. The ion gun was tested in the excitation of a helium plasma. Extremely pure helium with a pressure P = (0.2-1).10 5 Pa was employed. The proton gun which was developed satifies the requirements of spectroscopic plasma experiments and makes it possible to excite a plasma of inert gases under atmospheric pressure over a length of up to 100 cm, with the plasma having high homogeneity and stability. They obtained first results of spectroscopic measurements of the electron concentration of a helium plasma and the results agree with the theoretical predictions

The Effects of Cueing and Framing on Youth Attitudes towards Gun Control and Gun Rights

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephen Wu

2018-02-01

Full Text Available I analyze attitudes towards gun control from a recent survey of American high school students. For students who most closely identify as Republicans, cueing them to think about prior school shootings increases their agreement that armed staff in schools will improve safety and arming citizens will reduce risk of mass shootings. For those identifying as Democrats and Independents, providing them with selective information that certain states have loose gun control laws and low rates of gun violence makes them more supportive of gun rights. For Republicans, providing selective information that certain states have loose gun control laws and high rates of gun violence makes them less supportive of gun rights. These results suggest that emotional cues may exacerbate a priori biases, while informational cues may be more likely to change people’s minds about firearm policies.

Simplified pipe gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sorensen, H.; Nordskov, A.; Sass, B.; Visler, T.

1987-01-01

A simplified version of a deuterium pellet gun based on the pipe gun principle is described. The pipe gun is made from a continuous tube of stainless steel and gas is fed in from the muzzle end only. It is indicated that the pellet length is determined by the temperature gradient along the barrel right outside the freezing cell. Velocities of around 1000 m/s with a scatter of +- 2% are obtained with a propellant gas pressure of 40 bar

The case for moderate gun control.

Science.gov (United States)

DeGrazia, David

2014-03-01

In addressing the shape of appropriate gun policy, this essay assumes for the sake of discussion that there is a legal and moral right to private gun ownership. My thesis is that, against the background of this right, the most defensible policy approach in the United States would feature moderate gun control. The first section summarizes the American gun control status quo and characterizes what I call "moderate gun control." The next section states and rebuts six leading arguments against this general approach to gun policy. The section that follows presents a positive case for moderate gun control that emphasizes safety in the home and society as well as rights whose enforcement entails some limits or qualifications on the right to bear arms. A final section shows how the recommended gun regulations address legitimate purposes, rather than imposing arbitrary restrictions on gun rights, and offers concluding reflections.

Beam--plasma instabilities and the beam--plasma discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kellogg, P.J.; Boswell, R.W.

1986-01-01

Using a new electron gun, a number of measurements bearing on the generation of beam--plasma discharge (BPD) in WOMBAT (waves on magnetized beams and turbulence) [R. W. Boswell and P. J. Kellogg, Geophys. Res. Lett. 10, 565 (1983)] have been made. A beam--plasma discharge is an rf discharge in which the rf fields are provided by instabilities [W. D. Getty and L. D. Smullin, J. Appl. Phys. 34, 3421 (1963)]. The new gun has a narrower divergence angle than the old, and comparison of the BPD thresholds for the two guns verifies that the BPD ignition current is proportional to the cross-sectional area of the plasma. The high-frequency instabilities, precursors to the BPD, are identified with the two Trivelpiece--Gould modes [A. W. Trivelpiece and R. W. Gould, J. Appl. Phys. 30, 1784 (1959)]. Which frequency appears depends on the neutral pressure. The measured frequencies are not consistent with the simple interpretation of the lower frequency as a Cerenkov resonance with the low-Trivelpiece--Gould mode; it must be a cyclotron resonance. As is generally true in such beam--plasma interaction experiments, strong low-frequency waves appear at currents far below those necessary for BPD ignition. These low-frequency waves are shown to control the onset of the high-frequency precursors to the BPD. A mechanism for this control is suggested, which involves the conversion of a convective instability to an absolute one by trapping of the unstable waves in the density perturbations of the low-frequency waves. This process greatly reduces the current necessary for BPD ignition

ORELA electron guns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Christian, O.W.; Lewis, T.A.

1981-09-01

The most recent information concerning the production and performance of ORELA electron guns is presented. Included are descriptions of procedures for gun fabrication, cathode conditioning and high voltage processing. Highlights of the performance characteristics are also included

RF Design of the LCLS Gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Limborg-Deprey, C.

2010-01-01

Final dimensions for the LCLS RF gun are described. This gun, referred to as the LCLS gun, is a modified version of the UCLA/BNL/SLAC 1.6 cell S-Band RF gun (1), referred to as the prototype gun. The changes include a larger mode separation (15 MHz for the LCLS gun vs. 3.5 MHz for the prototype gun), a larger radius at the iris between the 2 cells, a reduced surface field on the curvature of the iris between the two cells, Z power coupling, increased cooling channels for operation at 120 Hz, dual rf feed, deformation tuning of the full cell, and field probes in both cells. Temporal shaping of the klystron pulse, to reduce the average power dissipated in the gun, has also been adopted. By increasing the mode separation, the amplitude of the 0-mode electric field on the cathode decreases from 10% of the peak on axis field for the prototype gun to less than 3% for the LCLS gun for the steady state fields. Beam performance is improved as shown by the PARMELA simulations. The gun should be designed to accept a future load lock system. Modifications follow the recommendations of our RF review committee (2). Files and reference documents are compiled in Section IV.

Flux compression generators as plasma compression power sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fowler, C.M.; Caird, R.S.; Erickson, D.J.; Freeman, B.L.; Thomson, D.B.; Garn, W.B.

1979-01-01

A survey is made of applications where explosive-driven magnetic flux compression generators have been or can be used to directly power devices that produce dense plasmas. Representative examples are discussed that are specific to the theta pinch, the plasma gun, the dense plasma focus and the Z pinch. These examples are used to illustrate the high energy and power capabilities of explosive generators. An application employing a rocket-borne, generator-powered plasma gun emphasizes the size and weight potential of flux compression power supplies. Recent results from a local effort to drive a dense plasma focus are provided. Imploding liners ae discussed in the context of both the theta and Z pinches

Magnetic Ignition of Pulsed Gas Discharges in Air of Low Pressure in a Coaxial Plasma Gun

Science.gov (United States)

Thom, Karlheinz; Norwood, Joseph, Jr.

1961-01-01

The effect of an axial magnetic field on the breakdown voltage of a coaxial system of electrodes has been investigated by earlier workers. For low values of gas pressure times electrode spacing, the breakdown voltage is decreased by the application of the magnetic field. The electron cyclotron radius now assumes the role held by the mean free path in nonmagnetic discharges and the breakdown voltage becomes a function of the magnetic flux density. In this paper the dependence of the formative time lag as a function of the magnetic flux density is established and the feasibility of using a magnetic field for igniting high-voltage, high-current discharges is shown through theory and experiment. With a 36 microfarad capacitor bank charged to 48,000 volts, a peak current of 1.3 x 10( exp 6) amperes in a coaxial type of plasma gun was achieved with a current rise time of only 2 microseconds.

Gun Violence Following Inpatient Psychiatric Treatment: Offense Characteristics, Sources of Guns, and Number of Victims.

Science.gov (United States)

Kivisto, Aaron J

2017-10-01

This study presents data on the relative contribution to gun violence by people with a history of inpatient psychiatric treatment and on federal efforts to deter presumptively dangerous persons from obtaining firearms, information useful for analyzing the potential public health benefits of gun policies targeting people with serious mental illness. The study also estimates the reduction in gun violence victims that would be expected if individuals with a previous psychiatric hospitalization were prohibited from purchasing firearms. Data from 838 violent gun offenders from a nationally representative sample of state prison inmates were analyzed. Those with and without a history of psychiatric hospitalization were compared on a range of offense characteristics, including relationship to the victim, number of victims, location of the offense, and source of firearms. Inmates with a history of hospitalization constituted 12% of all violent gun offenders and accounted for 13% of the sample's victims. They were less likely than those without a previous hospitalization to victimize strangers (odds ratio=.52) and were no more likely to commit gun violence in public or to have multiple victims. Among those with previous hospitalizations, 78% obtained guns from sources not subject to federal background checks. Of the total 1,041 victims of gun violence, only 3% were victimized by participants with a history of hospitalization who obtained guns from currently regulated sources. Prohibiting all individuals with a history of psychiatric hospitalization from purchasing firearms, absent expanded background checks, was estimated to reduce the number of gun violence victims by only 3%.

Unbalanced field RF electron gun

Science.gov (United States)

Hofler, Alicia

2013-11-12

A design for an RF electron gun having a gun cavity utilizing an unbalanced electric field arrangement. Essentially, the electric field in the first (partial) cell has higher field strength than the electric field in the second (full) cell of the electron gun. The accompanying method discloses the use of the unbalanced field arrangement in the operation of an RF electron gun in order to accelerate an electron beam.

From gun politics to self-defense politics: a feminist critique of the great gun debate.

Science.gov (United States)

Carlson, Jennifer D

2014-03-01

This article calls attention to a problematic binary produced by public debates surrounding gun rights and gun control-namely, that women must choose armed self-protection or no self-protection at all. I argue that both anti- and pro-gun discourses, drawing on and reproducing race and class privileges, use assumptions about women's physical inferiority to further their agendas. I highlight how both sides have used guns as the proxy for self-defense and conclude by calling for a shift in public discourse to focus on the broader question of the right to self-defense rather than the narrower question of gun rights.

Review of hydrogen pellet injection technology for plasma fueling applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milora, S.L.

1989-01-01

In the past several years, steady progress has been made worldwide in the development of high-speed hydrogen pellet injectors for fueling magnetically confined plasmas. Several fueling systems based on the conventional pneumatic and centrifuge acceleration concepts have been put into practice on a wide variety of toroidal plasma confinement devices. Long-pulse fueling has been demonstrated in the parameter range 0.8--1.3 km/s, for pellets up to 6 mm in diameter, and at delivery rates up to 40 Hz. Conventional systems have demonstrated the technology to speeds approaching 2 km/s, and several more exotic accelerator concepts are under development to meet the more demanding requirements of the next generation of reactor-grade plasmas. These include a gas gun that can operate in tritium, the two-stage light gas gun, electrothermal guns, electromagnetic rail guns, and an electron-beam-driven thruster. Although these devices are in various stages of development, velocities of 3.8 km/s have already been achieved with two-stage light gas guns, and the prospects for attaining 5 km/s in the near future appear good

A high-brightness thermionic microwave electron gun

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Borland, Michael [Stanford Univ., CA (United States)

1991-02-01

In a collaborative effort by SSRL, AET Associates, and Varian Associates, a high-brightness microwave electron gun using a thermionic cathode has been designed, built, tested, and installed for use with the SSRL 150 MeV linear accelerator. This thesis discusses the physics behind the design and operation of the gun and associated systems, presenting predictions and experimental tests of the gun`s performance. The microwave gun concept is of increasing interest due to its promise of providing higher-current, lower-emittance electron beams than possible from conventional, DC gun technology. In a DC guns, accelerating gradients are less than 8 MV/m, while those in a microwave gun can exceed 100 MV/m, providing much more rapid initial acceleration, thereby reducing the deleterious effects of space-charge. Microwave guns produce higher momentum beams than DC guns, thus lessening space-charge effects during subsequent beam transport. Typical DC guns produce kinetic energies of 80--400 KeV, compared to 2--3 MeV for the SSRL microwave gun. ``State-of-the-art`` microwave gun designs employ laser-driven photocathodes, providing excellent performance but with greater complexity and monetary costs. A thermionic microwave gun with a magnetic bunching system is comparable in cost and complexity to a conventional system, but provides performance that is orders of magnitude better. Simulations of the SSRL microwave gun predict a normalized RMS emittance at the gun exist of < 10 π • m_ec • μm for a beam consisting of approximately 50% of the particles emitted from the gun, and having a momentum spread ±10%. These emittances are for up to 5 x 10⁹e^- per bunch. Chromatic aberrations in the transport line between the gun and linear accelerator increase this to typically < 30 π • m_e • μm.

Design of a Rail Gun System for Mitigating Disruptions in Fusion Reactors

Science.gov (United States)

Lay, Wei-Siang

Magnetic fusion devices, such as the tokamak, that carry a large amount of current to generate the plasma confining magnetic fields have the potential to lose magnetic stability control. This can lead to a major plasma disruption, which can cause most of the stored plasma energy to be lost to localized regions on the walls, causing severe damage. This is the most important issue for the $20B ITER device (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) that is under construction in France. By injecting radiative materials deep into the plasma, the plasma energy could be dispersed more evenly on the vessel surface thus mitigating the harmful consequences of a disruption. Methods currently planned for ITER rely on the slow expansion of gases to propel the radiative payloads, and they also need to be located far away from the reactor vessel, which further slows down the response time of the system. Rail guns are being developed for aerospace applications, such as for mass transfer from the surface of the moon and asteroids to low earth orbit. A miniatured version of this aerospace technology seems to be particularly well suited to meet the fast time response needs of an ITER disruption mitigation system. Mounting this device close to the reactor vessel is also possible, which substantially increases its performance because the stray magnetic fields near the vessel walls could be used to augment the rail gun generated magnetic fields. In this thesis, the potential viability on Rail Gun based DMS is studied to investigate its projected fast time response capability by design, fabrication, and experiment of an NSTX-U sized rail gun system. Material and geometry based tests are used to find the most suitable armature design for this system for which the desirable attributes are high specific stiffness and high electrical conductivity. With the best material in these studies being aluminum 7075, the experimental Electromagnetic Particle Injector (EPI) system has propelled

Preliminary Langmuir probe results on the CTX gun experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tuszewski, M.

1981-12-01

Preliminary results obtained with a double Langmuir probe in the Compact Toroid experiment facility confirm the existence of a gun plasma of n approx. 5 x 10 14 cm -3 and T approx. 10 eV lasting for approx. 250 to 400 μs, which is consistent with interferometry and Thomson scattering data. The probe current characteristics as a function of voltage suggest non-Maxwellian features of the particles distribution functions

A high-brightness thermionic microwave electron gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borland, M.

1991-02-01

In a collaborative effort by SSRL, AET Associates, and Varian Associates, a high-brightness microwave electron gun using a thermionic cathode has been designed, built, tested, and installed for use with the SSRL 150 MeV linear accelerator. This thesis discusses the physics behind the design and operation of the gun and associated systems, presenting predictions and experimental tests of the gun's performance. The microwave gun concept is of increasing interest due to its promise of providing higher-current, lower-emittance electron beams than possible from conventional, DC gun technology. In a DC guns, accelerating gradients are less than 8 MV/m, while those in a microwave gun can exceed 100 MV/m, providing much more rapid initial acceleration, thereby reducing the deleterious effects of space-charge. Microwave guns produce higher momentum beams than DC guns, thus lessening space-charge effects during subsequent beam transport. Typical DC guns produce kinetic energies of 80--400 KeV, compared to 2--3 MeV for the SSRL microwave gun. ''State-of-the-art'' microwave gun designs employ laser-driven photocathodes, providing excellent performance but with greater complexity and monetary costs. A thermionic microwave gun with a magnetic bunching system is comparable in cost and complexity to a conventional system, but provides performance that is orders of magnitude better. Simulations of the SSRL microwave gun predict a normalized RMS emittance at the gun exist of e c · μm for a beam consisting of approximately 50% of the particles emitted from the gun, and having a momentum spread ±10%. These emittances are for up to 5 x 10 9 e - per bunch. Chromatic aberrations in the transport line between the gun and linear accelerator increase this to typically e · μm

Electric-gun studies of conductors in high magnetic fields and experiments in dynamic flux compression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osher, J.E.; Chau, H.H.; Lee, R.S.; Tipton, R.E.; Weingart, R.C.

1990-01-01

Electric guns operate by discharging a fast capacitor bank through a thin, metallic bridge-foil load. The explosion of the foil and the accompanying magnetic forces acting on the bridge-foil plasma accelerate a thin flyer plate of dielectric material initially placed on top of the bridge foil. In hypervelocity impact studies with the linear electric gun, a thin, flat flyer is punched out of a cover sheet of dielectric (or dielectric/metallic composite) material by the explosion of the bridge foil and accelerated down a short barrel to impact on a target. In the coaxial gun, a cylindrical bridge foil is used to implode a cylindrical dielectric or dielectric/metallic composite (liner) flyer to produce a high peak compression through axial convergence. In this paper the authors discuss the range of currents, their rate of rise, and the magnetic fields attained by their fast capacitor banks, which supply power to the electric gun to explode the bridge foil. Also included is a study of the change of resistance of the bridge-foil element as a function of time for various flyer mass loadings for the linear geometry of the gun

Surface multipole guide field for plasma injection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Breun, R.A.; Rael, B.H.; Wong, A.Y.

1977-01-01

Described here is a surface guide field system which is useful for injection of plasmas into confinement devices. Experimental results are given for 5--25-eV hydrogen plasmas produced by a coaxial discharge (Marshall) gun. It is found that better than 90% of the plasma produced by the gun is delivered to the end of the guide 180 cm away, while the neutral component falls by more than an order of magnitude. For these results the rod current providing the magnetic field had to be large enough to provide at least 1.5-ion gyroradii from the center of the guide to the surface of the inner rod

Racism, Gun Ownership and Gun Control: Biased Attitudes in US Whites May Influence Policy Decisions

OpenAIRE

O?Brien, Kerry; Forrest, Walter; Lynott, Dermot; Daly, Michael

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Racism is related to policies preferences and behaviors that adversely affect blacks and appear related to a fear of blacks (e.g., increased policing, death penalty). This study examined whether racism is also related to gun ownership and opposition to gun controls in US whites. METHOD: The most recent data from the American National Election Study, a large representative US sample, was used to test relationships between racism, gun ownership, and opposition to gun control in US wh...

CID thermionic gun system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koontz, R.F.

1981-10-01

A new high-current thermionic gun has been installed on the CID injector at SLAC and brought into operation. The gun and pulser system generate three nanosecond pulses of about six amps peak which, when bunched in the subharmonic buncher system, produce in excess of 10 11 electrons in a single S-band accelerated bunch. Preliminary operation of the gun is described, and details of the avalanche cathode drive pulser are presented

CID thermionic gun system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koontz, R.F.

1982-01-01

A new high-current thermionic gun has been installed on the CID injector at SLAC and brought into operation. The gun and pulser system generate three nanosecond pulses of about six amps peak which, when bunched in the subharmonic buncher system, produce in excess of 10 11 electrons in a single S-band accelerated bunch. Preliminary operation of the gun is described, and details of the avalanche cathode drive pulser are presented

X-Band RF Gun Development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vlieks, A.E.

2012-01-01

In support of the MEGa-ray program at LLNL and the High Gradient research program at SLAC, a new X-band multi-cell RF gun is being developed. This gun, similar to earlier guns developed at SLAC for Compton X-ray source program, will be a standing wave structure made of 5.5 cells operating in the pi mode with copper cathode. This gun was designed following criteria used to build SLAC X-band high gradient accelerating structures. It is anticipated that this gun will operate with surface electric fields on the cathode of 200 MeV/m with low breakdown rate. RF will be coupled into the structure through a final cell with symmetric duel feeds and with a shape optimized to minimize quadrupole field components. In addition, geometry changes to the original gun, operated with Compton X-ray source, will include a wider RF mode separation, reduced surface electric and magnetic fields.

Preventing gun injuries in children.

Science.gov (United States)

Crossen, Eric J; Lewis, Brenna; Hoffman, Benjamin D

2015-02-01

Firearms are involved in the injury and death of a large number of children each year from both intentional and unintentional causes. Gun ownership in homes with children is common, and pediatricians should incorporate evidence-based means to discuss firearms and protect children from gun-related injuries and violence. Safe storage of guns, including unloaded guns locked and stored separately from ammunition, can decrease risks to children, and effective tools are available that pediatricians can use in clinical settings to help decrease children's access to firearms. Furthermore, several community-based interventions led by pediatricians have effectively reduced firearm-related injury risks to children. Educational programs that focus on children's behavior around guns have not proven effective. © American Academy of Pediatrics, 2015. All rights reserved.

Gun violence trends in movies.

Science.gov (United States)

Bushman, Brad J; Jamieson, Patrick E; Weitz, Ilana; Romer, Daniel

2013-12-01

Many scientific studies have shown that the mere presence of guns can increase aggression, an effect dubbed the "weapons effect." The current research examines a potential source of the weapons effect: guns depicted in top-selling films. Trained coders identified the presence of violence in each 5-minute film segment for one-half of the top 30 films since 1950 and the presence of guns in violent segments since 1985, the first full year the PG-13 rating (age 13+) was used. PG-13-rated films are among the top-selling films and are especially attractive to youth. Results found that violence in films has more than doubled since 1950, and gun violence in PG-13-rated films has more than tripled since 1985. When the PG-13 rating was introduced, these films contained about as much gun violence as G (general audiences) and PG (parental guidance suggested for young children) films. Since 2009, PG-13-rated films have contained as much or more violence as R-rated films (age 17+) films. Even if youth do not use guns, these findings suggest that they are exposed to increasing gun violence in top-selling films. By including guns in violent scenes, film producers may be strengthening the weapons effect and providing youth with scripts for using guns. These findings are concerning because many scientific studies have shown that violent films can increase aggression. Violent films are also now easily accessible to youth (e.g., on the Internet and cable). This research suggests that the presence of weapons in films might amplify the effects of violent films on aggression.

Establishing reliable good initial quantum efficiency and in-situ laser cleaning for the copper cathodes in the RF gun

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, F., E-mail: zhoufeng@slac.stanford.edu; Sheppard, J.C.; Vecchione, T.; Jongewaard, E.; Brachmann, A.; Corbett, J.; Gilevich, S.; Weathersby, S.

2015-05-21

Establishing good initial quantum efficiency (QE) and reliable in-situ cleaning for copper cathode in the RF gun is of critical importance for the RF gun operations. Recent studies on the SLAC RF gun test bed indicated that the pre-cleaning (plasma cleaning) in the test chamber followed by copper cathode exposure to air for cathode change leads to a very low initial QE in the RF gun, and also demonstrated that without the pre-cleaning good initial QE >4×10{sup −5} can be routinely achieved in the RF gun with the cathodes of QE <1×10{sup −7} measured in the test chamber. QE can decay over the time in the RF gun. The in-situ laser cleaning technique for copper cathodes in the RF gun is established and refined in comparison to previous cleaning at the linac coherent light source, resulting in an improved QE and emittance evolutions. The physics of the laser cleaning process is discussed. It is believed that the reflectivity change is one of the major factors for the QE boost with the laser cleaning.

Low emittance thermionic electron guns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herrmannsfeldt, W.B.

1989-01-01

The author discusses self-field effects and external field effects for electron guns. He also discusses designs of electron guns and their uses in electron cooling systems and as an injector for electrostatic free electron lasers. He closes by looking at electron guns for linear accelerators. 20 references, 3 figures

Guns at College.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Matthew; Hemenway, David; Wechsler, Henry

1999-01-01

Surveyed undergraduate students nationwide concerning firearm possession. About 3.5% possessed working firearms. Students with guns were more likely to be male, White, or Native American; binge drink; live off-campus; and live with a spouse or significant other. Students with guns were more likely to engage in activities that put themselves and…

Preparation for electron ring - plasma ring merging experiments in RECE-MERGE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taggart, D.; Sekiguchi, A.; Fleischmann, H.H.

1986-01-01

The formation of a mixed-CT using relativistic electron rings and gun-produced plasma rings by MERGE-ing them axially is simulated. This process is similar to the axial stacking of relativistic electron rings in RECE-Christa. The results of their first plasm production experiment are reported here. After study of the gun-produced plasma's properties is completed, the gun will be mounted at the downstream end of the vacuum tank and the source of relativistic electron rings will be at the upstream end. The two rings, formed at opposite ends of the tank, will be translated axially and merged

Relationship between licensing, registration, and other gun sales laws and the source state of crime guns.

Science.gov (United States)

Webster, D W; Vernick, J S; Hepburn, L M

2001-09-01

To determine the association between licensing and registration of firearm sales and an indicator of gun availability to criminals. Tracing data on all crime guns recovered in 25 cities in the United States were used to estimate the relationship between state gun law categories and the proportion of crime guns first sold by in-state gun dealers. In cities located in states with both mandatory registration and licensing systems (five cities), a mean of 33.7% of crime guns were first sold by in-state gun dealers, compared with 72.7% in cities that had either registration or licensing but not both (seven cities), and 84.2% in cities without registration or licensing (13 cites). Little of the difference between cities with both licensing and registration and cities with neither licensing nor registration was explained by potential confounders. The share of the population near a city that resides in a neighboring state without licensing or registration laws was negatively associated with the outcome. States with registration and licensing systems appear to do a better job than other states of keeping guns initially sold within the state from being recovered in crimes. Proximity to states without these laws, however, may limit their impact.

RF guns: a review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Travier, C.

1990-06-01

Free Electron Lasers and future linear colliders require very bright electron beams. Conventional injectors made of DC guns and RF bunchers have intrinsic limitations. The recently proposed RF guns have already proven their capability to produce bright beams. The necessary effort to improve further these performances and to gain reliability is now undertaken by many laboratories. More than twenty RF gun projects both thermionic and laser-driven are reviewed. Their specific characteristics are outlined and their nominal performances are given

THE IMPROVEMENT AND APPLICATION OF EI-GUN (ELECTRICAL INSEMINATION GUN FOR ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION (AI USING GOAT FRESH SEMEN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mirsa Ita Dewi

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Electrical Insemination Gun (EI-GUN was a tool for Artificial Insemination (AI using fresh semen with an electric control system. The research objective was to produced EI-GUN for AI using fresh semen on small ruminants (goat. The research was conducted from March to June 2015. The process of EI-GUN creation implemented in Design and Prototype Laboratory and Aero Modeling Research Laboratory at Engineering Faculty, University of Brawijaya (UB. Testing tools EI-GUN on goat was conducted in the Sumber Sekar Laboratory, Animal Husbandry Faculty, UB.  The methods of research were literature study, tool specification determination, designing EI-GUN, running test, semen evaluation passed EI-GUN and application on Goat. EI-GUN has seven important parts, which supports each other in this operating system. Those parts consist of stylet, servo, system controlled, insemination pump, connecting rod, battery, and holder. EI-GUN work system sucked the semen into insemination pump as much as 5 ml, and release the semen 0.25 ml appropriate standard of AI. It was applicable for 20 times AI. The results showed that the cell motility of spermatozoa ≥ 70% were still in ranging of Indonesian National Standard (SNI.   Keywords: artificial insemination, EI-GUN, fresh semen.

Understanding and Predicting Gun Barrel Erosion

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Johnston, Ian A

2005-01-01

The Australian Defence Force will soon have to contend with gun barrel erosion issues arising from the use of new low-vulnerability gun propellants, the acquisition of new ammunition and gun systems...

Electron gun for SSRF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sheng Shugang; Lin Guoqiang; Gu Qiang; Li Deming

2003-01-01

A 100 kV triode-electron-gun has been designed and manufactured for the Linac of Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF). In this paper the performance of the gun and some key components are described

Electron gun for technological linear accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khodak, I.V.; Kushnir, V.A.; Mirochenko, V.V.; Stepin, D.L.; Zavada, L.M.

2000-01-01

The work is purposed to the design of diode electron gun for powerful technologic electron linac and to experimental investigations of the beam parameters at the gun exit.The gun feature is the quick cathode replacement.This is very impotent for operating of the accelerator.The gun optics and beam parameters were calculated using the EGUN code.Beam parameters were investigated as at the special test stand so as component of the linac injector.The gun produces the beam current of 2 A at the anode voltage 25 kV.Measured beam parameters correspond to calculated results

Are "goods for guns" good for the community? An update of a community gun buyback program.

Science.gov (United States)

Green, Jonathan; Damle, Rachelle N; Kasper, Rebecca E; Violano, Pina; Manno, Mariann; Nazarey, Pradeep P; Aidlen, Jeremy T; Hirsh, Michael P

2017-08-01

Gun violence remains a leading cause of death in the United States. Community gun buyback programs provide an opportunity to dispose of extraneous firearms. The purpose of this study was to understand the demographics, motivation, child access to firearms, and household mental illness of buyback participants in hopes of improving the program's effectiveness. A 2015 Injury Free Coalition for Kids gun buyback program which collaborated with local police departments was studied. We administered a 23-item questionnaire survey to gun buyback participants assessing demographic characteristics, motivation for relinquishing firearms, child firearm accessibility, and mental illness/domestic violence history. A total of 186 individuals from Central/Western Massachusetts turned in 339 weapons. Participants received between US $25 and US $75 in gift cards dependent on what type of gun was turned in, with an average cost of $41/gun. A total of 109 (59%) participants completed the survey. Respondents were mostly white (99%), men (90%) and first-time participants in the program (85.2%). Among survey respondents, 54% turned in firearms "for safety reasons." Respondents reported no longer needing/wanting their weapons (47%) and approximately one in eight participants were concerned the firearm(s) were accessible to children. Most respondents (87%) felt the program encouraged neighborhood awareness of firearm safety. Three of every five participants reported that guns still remained in their homes; additionally, 21% where children could potentially access them and 14% with a history of mental illness/suicide/domestic violence in the home. Gun buybacks can provide a low-cost means of removing unwanted firearms from the community. Most participants felt their homes were safer after turning in the firearm(s). In homes still possessing guns, emphasis on secure gun storage should continue, increasing the safety of children and families. The results of this survey also provided new

The ALS Gun Electronics system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lo, C.C.

1993-05-01

The ALS Gun Electronics system has been designed to accommodate gun with a custom made socket and high speed electronics circuit which is capable of producing single and multiple electron bunches with time jitters measured at better than 50 PS. The system generates the gated RF signal at ground level before sending it up to the 120 KV-biased gun deck via a fiber optic cable. The current pulse width as a function of grid bias, using an Eimac 8847A planar triode simulating an electron gun, was measured to show the relationship between the two parameters

The ALS gun electronics system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lo, C.C.

1993-01-01

The ALS Gun Electronics system has been designed to accommodate the gun with a custom made socket and a high speed electronics circuit which is capable of producing single and multiple electron bunches with time jitters measured at better than 50 PS. The system generates the gated RF signal at ground level before sending it up to the 120 KV-biased gun deck via a fiber optic cable. The current pulse width as a function of grid bias, using an Eimac 8847A planar triode simulating an electron gun, was measured to show the relationship between the two parameters

Glue Guns: Aiming for Safety

Science.gov (United States)

Roy, Ken

2010-01-01

While glue guns are very useful, there are safety issues. Regardless of the temperature setting, glue guns can burn skin. The teacher should demonstrate and supervise the use of glue guns and have a plan should a student get burned. There should be an initial first aid protocol in place, followed by a visit to the school nurse. An accident report…

"Is there a gun in the home?" Assessing the risks of gun ownership in older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinholt, Ellen M; Mitchell, Joshua D; Butler, Jane H; Kumar, Harjinder

2014-06-01

An important ethical and safety concern that geriatricians, primary care providers, and home health professionals need to address is gun ownership by elderly adults. Those aged 65 and older now have the highest rate of gun ownership in America, and they also have a high prevalence of depression and suicide. Dementia can add additional layers of risk. Even older gun owners who are otherwise intellectually intact may benefit from information about gun safety with the increasing numbers of children being cared for by grandparents. Health professionals should ask patients, "Is there a gun in the home?" in the clinic and during home visits. Healthcare professionals must have knowledge and skills to address safe gun ownership in elderly adults. The 5 L's (Locked, Loaded, Little children, feeling Low, Learned owner) will assist professionals in addressing all aspects of safe ownership. © 2014, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2014, The American Geriatrics Society.

Scaling relations for plasma production and acceleration of rotating plasma flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikehata, Takashi; Tanabe, Toshio; Mase, Hiroshi; Sekine, Ryusuke; Hasegawa, Kazuyuki.

1989-01-01

Scaling relations are investigated theoretically and experimentally of the plasma production and acceleration in the rotating plasma gun which has been developed as a new means of plasma centrifuge. Two operational modes: the gas-discharge mode for gaseous elements and the vacuum-discharge mode for solid elements are studied. Relations of the plasma density and velocities to the discharge current and the magnetic field are derived. The agreement between experiment and theory is quite well. It is found that fully-ionized rotating plasmas produced in the gas-discharge mode is most advantageous to realize efficient plasma centrifuge. (author)

Gun buyback programs: a venue to eliminate unwanted guns in the community.

Science.gov (United States)

Violano, Pina; Driscoll, Cassandra; Chaudhary, Neil K; Schuster, Kevin M; Davis, Kimberly A; Borer, Esther; Winters, Jane K; Hirsh, Michael P

2014-09-01

The United States has a high rate of death due to firearms, and gun buyback programs may mitigate these high death rates. Understanding the demographics, motivation, and geographic region of participants may improve program efficacy. Three Injury Free Coalition for Kids gun buyback programs, in collaboration with the local police, were studied: Phoenix, Arizona; Worcester, Massachusetts; and New Haven, Connecticut. Participants were defined as those who relinquished a firearm. A self-administered, anonymous, paper survey elicited information from participants regarding demographic data, formal training on the use of the firearm, how the firearm was acquired, potential child access, knowledge of others injured by a firearm, whether the firearm was stored unlocked, factors motivating the surrender of the firearm, and other factors. Survey results were entered into a composite database and analyzed for differences in location, race, sex, and other factors. Participants (n = 301) were predominantly male (73.5%), white (80.9%), and older than 55 years (59.0%). They lived an average of 19.0 miles from the event by zip codes and had an average median household income of $65,731. More than half (54.5%) did not purchase the firearm, acquiring it through inheritance, gift, or random find. Most (74.8%) had previous firearms training and were relinquishing for safety reasons (68.3%). Those relinquishing firearms for safety reasons were less likely to have purchased the firearm (odds ratio [OR], 2.46, p gun lock (OR, 0.15; p gun-wielding criminal acts were burglarized from the home of legal gun owners that had failed to secure them properly. The gun buyback program is solely one prong of a multipronged approach in reducing firearm-based interpersonal violence. Additional research is necessary to determine effective methods to target individuals who would have the greatest impact on gun violence if they relinquished their weapons. Through the forging of relationships and

Controlled and spontaneous magnetic field generation in a gun-driven spheromak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woodruff, S.; Cohen, B.I.; Hooper, E.B.; Mclean, H.S.; Stallard, B.W.; Hill, D.N.; Holcomb, C.T.; Romero-Talamas, C.; Wood, R.D.; Cone, G.; Sovinec, C.R.

2005-01-01

In the Sustained Spheromak Physics Experiment, SSPX [E. B. Hooper, D. Pearlstein, and D. D. Ryutov, Nucl. Fusion 39, 863 (1999)], progress has been made in understanding the mechanisms that generate fields by helicity injection. SSPX injects helicity (linked magnetic flux) from 1 m diameter magnetized coaxial electrodes into a flux-conserving confinement region. Control of magnetic fluctuations (δB/B∼1% on the midplane edge) yields T e profiles peaked at >200 eV. Trends indicate a limiting beta (β e ∼4%-6%), and so we have been motivated to increase T e by operating with stronger magnetic field. Two new operating modes are observed to increase the magnetic field: (A) Operation with constant current and spontaneous gun voltage fluctuations. In this case, the gun is operated continuously at the threshold for ejection of plasma from the gun: stored magnetic energy of the spheromak increases gradually with δB/B∼2% and large voltage fluctuations (δV∼1 kV), giving a 50% increase in current amplification, I tor /I gun . (B) Operation with controlled current pulses. In this case, spheromak magnetic energy increases in a stepwise fashion by pulsing the gun, giving the highest magnetic fields observed for SSPX (∼0.7 T along the geometric axis). By increasing the time between pulses, a quasisteady sustainment is produced (with periodic good confinement), comparing well with resistive magnetohydrodynamic simulations. In each case, the processes that transport the helicity into the spheromak are inductive and exhibit a scaling of field with current that exceeds those previously obtained. We use our newly found scaling to suggest how to achieve higher temperatures with a series of pulses

Controlled and Spontaneous Magnetic Field Generation in a Gun-Driven Spheromak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woodruff, S; Cohen, B I; Hooper, E B; McLean, H S; Stallard, B W; Hill, D N; Holcomb, C T; Romero-Talamas, C; Wood, R D; Cone, G; Sovinec, C R

2005-04-01

In the Sustained Spheromak Physics Experiment, SSPX, progress has been made in understanding the mechanisms that generate fields by helicity injection. SSPX injects helicity (linked magnetic flux) from 1-m diameter magnetized coaxial electrodes into a flux-conserving confinement region. Control of magnetic fluctuations ((delta)B/B∼1% on the midplane edge) yields T e profiles peaked at > 200eV. Trends indicate a limiting beta (β e ∼ 4-6%), and so we have been motivated to increase T e by operating with stronger magnetic field. Two new operating modes are observed to increase the magnetic field: (A) Operation with constant current and spontaneous gun voltage fluctuations. In this case, the gun is operated continuously at the threshold for ejection of plasma from the gun: stored magnetic energy of the spheromak increases gradually with (delta)B/B ∼2% and large voltage fluctuations ((delta)V ∼ 1kV), giving a 50% increase in current amplification, I tor /I gun . (B) Operation with controlled current pulses. In this case, spheromak magnetic energy increases in a stepwise fashion by pulsing the gun, giving the highest magnetic fields observed for SSPX (∼0.7T along the geometric axis). By increasing the time between pulses, a quasi-steady sustainment is produced (with periodic good confinement), comparing well with resistive MHD simulations. In each case, the processes that transport the helicity into the spheromak are inductive and exhibit a scaling of field with current that exceeds those previously obtained. We use our newly found scaling to suggest how to achieve higher temperatures with a series of pulses

Upgrading the JET pellet injector with a two-stage light gas gun prototype and future planning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kupschus, P.; Sonnenberg, K.; Bailey, W.; Gadeberg, M.; Hardaker, J.; Hedley, L.; Helm, J.; Flory, D.; McCarthy, P.; Nowak, A.; Twynam, P.; Szabo, T.; Watson, M.

1989-01-01

For about two years the Joint European TORUS (JET) has been using a multi-pellet injector jointly built by JET and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). This was and is jointly operated by a JET - US Pellet Team within the Pellet Agreement between JET and the US Department of Energy (US DOE) under the wider umbrella of the EURATOM - US DOE Agreement on collaborative Fusion Research. This injector is composed of the ORNL Launcher, employing three independently firing repetitive (up to 5 s -1 ) pneumatic guns for pellet speeds of up to 1.5 kms -1 , and a JET launcher-torus interface (Pellet Interface) which provides all required services to the launcher and its immediate control system. In particular, it provides the differential pumping to match the high pressures of the gun system to the vacuum pressure and flow requirements of the plasma boundary. The Pellet Interface, in its design from its conception about four years ago, was intended to be equipped with a JET built pellet launcher system employing also high-speed guns at a later date once the ORNL Launcher will have been removed as it is not compatible with the JET requirements for the Active Phase (tritium and remote handling compatibility). As a first step - to learn about the possible plasma physics benefits as well as to gain technical experience concerning the application of advanced gun technology, a JET two-stage light gas gun prototype has been developed and is now being installed in parallel with the ORNL Launcher. This paper reports on the JET pellet injector development program, its motivation and its results to date. It describes briefly the presently operated pellet injector, continues to outline the design of the prototype in more detail and finally sketches the plans for the near future. 8 refs., 11 figs., 1 tab

Amorphous NEA Silicon Photocathodes - A Robust RF Gun Electron Source. Final Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mulhollan, Gregory A.

2009-01-01

Amorphous silicon (a-Si) has been shown to have great promise as a negative electron affinity visible wavelength photocathode suitable for radio frequency (RF) gun systems. The specific operating wavelength can be shifted by growing it as a germanium alloy (a-Si(1-x)Ge(x)) rather than as pure silicon. This class of photoemitters has been shown to possess a high degree of immunity to charged particle flux. Such particle flux can be a significant problem in the operation of other photocathodes in RF gun systems. Its emission characteristics in the form of current per unit area, or current density, and emission angle, or beam spread are well matched for use in RF guns. Photocathodes made of a-Si can be fabricated on a variety of substrates including those most commonly employed in RF gun systems. Such photocathodes can be made for operation in either transmission or reflection mode. By growing them utilizing radio frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, the unit cost is quite low, the quality is high and it is straightforward to grow custom size substrates and full or limited regions to confine the electron emission to the desired area. Quality emitters have been fabricated on tantalum, molybdenum, tungsten, titanium, copper, stainless steel, float glass, borosilicate glass and gallium arsenide. In addition to performing well in dedicated test chambers, a-Si photocathodes have been shown to function well in self-contained vacuum tubes. In this employment, they are subjected to a strenuous environment. Successful operation in this configuration provides additional confidence in their application to high energy linac photoinjectors and potentially as part of reliable, low cost photocathode driven RF gun systems that could become ready replacements for the diode and triode guns used on medical accelerators. Their applications in stand-alone vacuum tubes is just beginning to be explored.

A light-gas gun for acceleration of pellets of solid D2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nordskov, A.; Skovgaard, H.; Soerensen, H.; Weisberg, K.V.

1980-10-01

A gun has been designed and built to be used for injecting solid D 2 pellets into a small tokamak for pellet-plasma interaction studies. The pellets are formed and accelerated at temperatures close to those of liquid helium. They are propelled with pressurised H 2 -gas; the pressure arises when a quantity of solid H 2 placed in the gun barrel behind the pellet is pulse heated. Pellet velocities up to 240 m/s have been obtained. The directional accuracy is better than 0.2deg and the repetition rate is one firing every five minutes. The pellet volume is 0.6 mm 3 (2 x 10 19 molecules) while the quantity of propeller gas used is around 12 x 10 19 molecules. (author)

LCLS Gun Solenoid Design Considerations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmerge, John

2010-01-01

The LCLS photocathode rf gun requires a solenoid immediately downstream for proper emittance compensation. Such a gun and solenoid have been operational at the SSRL Gun Test Facility (GTF) for over eight years. Based on magnetic measurements and operational experience with the GTF gun solenoid multiple modifications are suggested for the LCLS gun solenoid. The modifications include adding dipole and quadrupole correctors inside the solenoid, increasing the bore to accommodate the correctors, decreasing the mirror plate thickness to allow the solenoid to move closer to the cathode, cutouts in the mirror plate to allow greater optical clearance with grazing incidence cathode illumination, utilizing pancake coil mirror images to compensate the first and second integrals of the transverse fields and incorporating a bipolar power supply to allow for proper magnet standardization and quick polarity changes. This paper describes all these modifications plus the magnetic measurements and operational experience leading to the suggested modifications.

Magnetic helicity balance in the Sustained Spheromak Plasma Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stallard, B.W.; Hooper, E.B.; Woodruff, S.; Bulmer, R.H.; Hill, D.N.; McLean, H.S.; Wood, R.D.

2003-01-01

The magnetic helicity balance between the helicity input injected by a magnetized coaxial gun, the rate-of-change in plasma helicity content, and helicity dissipation in electrode sheaths and Ohmic losses have been examined in the Sustained Spheromak Plasma Experiment (SSPX) [E. B. Hooper, L. D. Pearlstein, and R. H. Bulmer, Nucl. Fusion 39, 863 (1999)]. Helicity is treated as a flux function in the mean-field approximation, allowing separation of helicity drive and losses between closed and open field volumes. For nearly sustained spheromak plasmas with low fluctuations, helicity balance analysis implies a decreasing transport of helicity from the gun input into the spheromak core at higher spheromak electron temperature. Long pulse discharges with continuously increasing helicity and larger fluctuations show higher helicity coupling from the edge to the spheromak core. The magnitude of the sheath voltage drop, inferred from cathode heating and a current threshold dependence of the gun voltage, shows that sheath losses are important and reduce the helicity injection efficiency in SSPX

77 FR 37834 - Revocation of Certain Requirements Pertaining to Caps Intended for Use With Toy Guns and Toy Guns...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-25

... Certain Requirements Pertaining to Caps Intended for Use With Toy Guns and Toy Guns Not Intended for Use With Caps AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission. ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking. SUMMARY... compliance than our existing regulations pertaining to caps intended for use with toy guns and toy guns not...

Theoretical investigation of a travelling-wave rf gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao, J.

1991-12-01

A travelling-wave type rf gun (TW gun) is investigated theoretically. Analytical formulae concerning energy gain, energy spread, and transverse emittance are derived. After showing the corresponding formulae for the standing-wave rf gun (SW gun), comparisons are made between the two types of rf gun. Finally, some numerical results are calculated to demonstrate further the behaviours of the TW gun, and to compare with those from analytical formulae. (author) 11 refs.; 27 figs

One nanosecond pulsed electron gun systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koontz, R.F.

1979-02-01

At SLAC there has been a continuous need for the injection of very short bunches of electrons into the accelerator. Several time-of-flight experiments have used bursts of short pulses during a normal 1.6 micro-second rf acceleration period. Single bunch beam loading experiments made use of a short pulse injection system which included high power transverse beam chopping equipment. Until the equipment described in this paper came on line, the basic grid-controlled gun pulse was limited to a rise time of 7 nanoseconds and a pulse width of 10 nanoseconds. The system described here has a grid-controlled rise time of less than 500 pico-seconds, and a minimum pulse width of less than 1 nanosecond. Pulse burst repetition rate has been demonstrated above 20 MHz during a 1.6 microsecond rf accelerating period. The order-of-magnitude increase in gun grid switching speed comes from a new gun design which minimizes lead inductance and stray capacitance, and also increases gun grid transconductance. These gun improvements coupled with a newly designed fast pulser mounted directly within the gun envelope make possible subnanosecond pulsing of the gun

Design and development of a pierce electron gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhattacharjee, D.; Tiwari, R.; Nayak, B.; Tillu, A.R.; Jayaprakash, D.; Mishra, R.L.; Mittal, K.C.; Chakravarthy, D.P.; Gantayet, L.M.

2011-01-01

An electron gun is designed and developed using the Pierce configuration for the focusing electrode. Simulations were carried out using CST Particle Studio. The Gun is a thermionic type electron gun with indirect heating of the LaB6 cathode. The gun is capable of delivering a beam current of 500 mA at 50 kV with a beam size of less than 3.5 mm. It was tested on the gun test bench. This paper presents the gun design, particle simulations study, testing of the gun on test bench and integration with the ECIL 9 MeV linac. (author)

Electron gun for the Fel Clio

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chaput, R.

1990-01-01

A triode electron gun has been developed and manufactured at LURE (Laboratoire pour l'Utilisation du Rayonnement Electromagnetique) and LAL (Laboratoire de l'Accelerateur Lineaire) for the free electron laser CLIO 1 (Collaboration pour un laser a electrons libres dans l'infrarouge a Orsay) now under construction: this gun involves a grid-cathode assembly manufactured by EIMAC, currently used in the SLAC gun family. For the FEL requirements, the gun must be able to yield a train of short pulses at accuracy frequency or a continuous pulse. Driving together the cathode and the grid the gun produces a continous beam of 12 μs or a pulsed beam of very short pulse of 1 ns at 250 MHz, 125 MHz, 62.5 MHz or 31.25 MHz. The performances of the gun has been tested on a testing bench. A peak current of 1 Amp. for 1 ns width at any frequencies was achieved at an injection voltage of 90 kV

Plasma tubes becoming collimated as a result of magnetohydrodynamic pumping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yun, Gunsu S.; Bellan, Paul M.

2010-01-01

Collimated magnetized plasma structures are commonly observed on galactic, stellar, and laboratory scales. The Caltech plasma gun produces magnetically driven plasma jets bearing a striking resemblance to astrophysical jets and solar coronal loops by imposing boundary conditions analogous to those plasmas. This paper presents experimental observations of gun-produced plasma jets that support a previously proposed magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) pumping model [P. M. Bellan, Phys. Plasmas 10, 1999 (2003)] as a universal collimation mechanism. For any initially flared, magnetized plasma tube with a finite axial current, the model predicts (i) magnetic pumping of plasma particles from a constricted region into a bulged region and (ii) tube collimation if the flow slows down at the bulged region leading to accumulation of mass and thus concentrating the azimuthal magnetic flux frozen in the mass flow (i.e., increasing the pinch force). Time- and space-resolved spectroscopic measurements of gun-produced plasmas have confirmed the highly dynamic nature of the process leading to a collimated state, namely, (i) suprathermal Alfvenic flow (30-50 km/s), (ii) large density amplification from ∼10 17 to ∼10 22 m -3 in an Alfvenic time scale (5-10 μs), and (iii) flow slowing down and mass accumulation at the flow front, the place where the tube collimation occurs according to high-speed camera imaging. These observations are consistent with the predictions of the MHD pumping model, and offer valuable insight into the formation mechanism of laboratory, solar, and astrophysical plasma structures.

Plasma-Jet-Driven Magneto-Inertial Fusion (PJMIF): Physics and Design for a Plasma Liner Formation Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Scott; Cassibry, Jason; Witherspoon, F. Douglas

2014-10-01

Spherically imploding plasma liners are a potential standoff compression driver for magneto-inertial fusion, which is a hybrid of and operates in an intermediate density between those of magnetic and inertial fusion. We propose to use an array of merging supersonic plasma jets to form a spherically imploding plasma liner. The jets are to be formed by pulsed coaxial guns with contoured electrodes that are placed sufficiently far from the location of target compression such that no hardware is repetitively destroyed. As such, the repetition rate can be higher (e.g., 1 Hz) and ultimately the power-plant economics can be more attractive than most other MIF approaches. During the R&D phase, a high experimental shot rate at reasonably low cost (e.g., gun plasma-liner-formation experiment, which will provide experimental data on: (i) scaling of peak liner ram pressure versus initial jet parameters, (ii) liner non-uniformity characterization and control, and (iii) control of liner profiles for eventual gain optimization.

Gas gun dynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Denny, Mark

2013-01-01

The mechanics and thermodynamics of one- and two-stage gas guns are developed. Very high projectile muzzle speed can be obtained by the two-stage version. The physics of simple gas guns, such as air rifles, is accessible to undergraduates and the same level of presentation is used here to understand more complex designs. Numerical solutions to the equations of motion are shown, along with insightful analytic approximations. (paper)

Electron gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, H.-Y.; Hughes, R.H.

1979-01-01

The invention described relates to cathode ray tubes, and particularly to color picture tubes of the type useful in home television receivers and therefore to electron guns. The invention is especially applicable to self-converging tube-yoke combinations with shadow mask tubes of the type having plural-beam in-line guns disposed in a horizontal plane, an apertured mask with vertically oriented slit-shaped apertures, and a screen with vertically oriented phosphor stripes. The invention is not, however, limited to use in such tubes and may in fact be used, e.g., in dot-type shadow mask tubes and index-type tubes. (Auth.)

Formation and sustainment of a low aspect ratio tokamak by a series of plasma injections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimamura, Shin; Taniguchi, Makoto; Takahashi, Tsutomu; Nogi, Yasuyuki

1995-01-01

A low aspect ratio tokamak plasma was generated and sustained by injecting a series of plasmas from a magnetized coaxial gun into a flux conserver with toroidal field. The magnetized coaxial gun was supplied by an oscillating current with a d.c. component. The first few current pulses injected plasma and helicity into the flux conserver. This pulse helicity injection method worked effectively to maintain the low aspect ratio tokamak. 8 refs., 5 figs

Operation of the APS rf gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lewellen, J. W.

1998-01-01

The Advanced Photon Source (APS) has a thermionic-cathode rf gun system capable of providing beam to the APS linac. The gun system consists of a 1.6-cell thermionic-cathode rf gun, a fast kicker for beam current control, and an alpha magnet for bunch compression and injection into the APS linac line. This system is intended for use both as an injector for positron creation, and as a first beam source for the Low-Energy Undulator Test Line (LEUTL) project [1]. The first measured performance characteristics of the gun are presented.

Middle Ground on Gun Control

Science.gov (United States)

2016-12-01

34 Australian Institute of Criminology, July 7, 2015, http://www.aic.gov.au/ statistics /homicide/weapon.html. 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 Total Gun...firearms is not the business of a single Australian , so it is immeasurably easier for politicians to categorically ban types of guns because there is...not an Australian version of Smith and Wesson that is going to be put out of business . Additionally, because all of the guns in Australia are

Streaming-plasma measurements in the Baseball II-T mirror experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Damm, C.C.; Foote, J.H.; Futch, A.H.; Goodman, R.K.; Hornady, R.S.; Osher, J.E.; Porter, G.D.

1977-01-01

The warm plasma from a deuterium-loaded titanium washer gun, streaming along magnetic-field lines through the steady-state magnetic well of Baseball II, has been examined for its suitability in this experimental situation as a target plasma for hot-ion buildup experiments and for microinstability control. The gun was positioned near the magnetic axis outside the mirror region. Measurements were made with gridded, end-loss detectors placed outside the opposite mirror, a microwave interferometer, a beam-attenuation detector, and other diagnostics

Camouflaged Collectives: Managing Stigma and Identity at Gun Events

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah Jane Blithe

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Gun violence persists in the United States, claiming lives and escalating healthcare costs. This article seeks to contribute to social justice work on the “gun problem” by studying gun collectives. To understand gun culture and to identify gun violence reduction strategies, we study places where gun owners organize – legal (and sometimes illegal settings that facilitate dialogue about gun issues. Based on participant observation and collaborative event ethnography at gun shows and a private shooting party, this analysis presents findings about the practices gun collective members use to manage stigma. We conclude that when participants in gun events attempt to subvert core stigma through everyday stigma management practices, they effectively facilitate the unfettered exchange of potentially dangerous goods, promote the invisibility of oppressive structures, and normalize violence.

Development of a Plasma Streaming System for the Mirror Fusion Test Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holdsworth, T.; Clark, R.N.; McCotter, R.E.; Rossow, T.L.; Cruz, G.E.

1979-01-01

The Plasma Streaming System (PSS) is an essential portion of the Mirror Fusion Test Facility (MFTF), scheduled for completion in October 1981. The PSS will develop a plasma density of at least 2 x 10 12 particles/cm 3 at the MFTF magnet centerline by injecting particles along the field lines. The plasma will have a midplane plasma radius as large as 40 cm with variable plasma particle energy and beam geometry. Minimum amounts of impurities will be injected, with emphasis on minimizing high Z materials. Each of the 60 PSS units will consist of a gun magnet assembly (GMA) and a power supply. Each GMA consists of a plasma streaming gun, a pulse magnet that provides variable beam shaping, and a fast reaction pulse gas valve

Interpreting the empirical evidence on illegal gun market dynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Braga, Anthony A; Wintemute, Garen J; Pierce, Glenn L; Cook, Philip J; Ridgeway, Greg

2012-10-01

Thousands of Americans are killed by gunfire each year, and hundreds of thousands more are injured or threatened with guns in robberies and assaults. The burden of gun violence in urban areas is particularly high. Critics suggest that the results of firearm trace data and gun trafficking investigation studies cannot be used to understand the illegal supply of guns to criminals and, therefore, that regulatory and enforcement efforts designed to disrupt illegal firearms markets are futile in addressing criminal access to firearms. In this paper, we present new data to address three key arguments used by skeptics to undermine research on illegal gun market dynamics. We find that criminals rely upon a diverse set of illegal diversion pathways to acquire guns, gun traffickers usually divert small numbers of guns, newer guns are diverted through close-to-retail diversions from legal firearms commerce, and that a diverse set of gun trafficking indicators are needed to identify and shut down gun trafficking pathways.

Acceleration of small, light projectiles (including hydrogen isotopes) to high speeds using a two-stage light gas gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Combs, S.K.; Foust, C.R.; Gouge, M.J.; Milora, S.L.

1989-01-01

Small, light projectiles have been accelerated to high speeds using a two-stage light gas gun at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. With 35-mg plastic projectiles (4 mm in diameter), speeds of up to 4.5 km/s have been recorded. The ''pipe gun'' technique for freezing hydrogen isotopes in situ in the gun barrel has been used to accelerate deuterium pellets (nominal diameter of 4 mm) to velocities of up to 2.85 km/s. The primary application of this technology is for plasma fueling of fusion devices via pellet injection of hydrogen isotopes. Conventional pellet injectors are limited to pellet speeds in the range 1-2 km/s. Higher velocities are desirable for plasma fueling applications, and the two-stage pneumatic technique offers performance in a higher velocity regime. However, experimental results indicate that the use of sabots to encase the cryogenic pellets and protect them for the high peak pressures will be required to reliably attain intact pellets at speeds of ∼3 km/s or greater. In some limited tests, lithium hydride pellets were accelerated to speeds of up to 4.2 km/s. Also, repetitive operation of the two-stage gun (four plastic pellets fired at ∼0.5 Hz) was demonstrated for the first time in preliminary tests. The equipment and operation are described, and experimental results and some comparisons with a theoretical model are presented. 17 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs

Gun Safety (For Parents)

Science.gov (United States)

... from the home of a relative or friend. Teens should never be able to get to a gun and bullets without an adult being there. People of any age who are depressed are at increased risk of suicide. If someone in the family has depression, or has had thoughts of suicide, all guns ...

Remotely controlled spray gun

Science.gov (United States)

Cunningham, William C. (Inventor)

1987-01-01

A remotely controlled spray gun is described in which a nozzle and orifice plate are held in precise axial alignment by an alignment member, which in turn is held in alignment with the general outlet of the spray gun by insert. By this arrangement, the precise repeatability of spray patterns is insured.

Blower Gun pellet injection system for W7-X

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dibon, M., E-mail: mathias.dibon@ipp.mpg.de [Max-Planck-Institute for Plasma Physics, Boltzmannstr. 2, 85748 Garching (Germany); Baldzuhn, J.; Beck, M. [Max-Planck-Institute for Plasma Physics, Boltzmannstr. 2, 85748 Garching (Germany); Cardella, A. [Lehrstuhl für Nukleartechnik, TU Munich, Boltzmannstr. 15, 85748 Garching (Germany); Köchl, F. [Atominstitut, TU Wien, 1020 Vienna (Austria); Kocsis, G. [Wigner RCP, RMI, P.O. Box 49, H-1525 Budapest-114 (Hungary); Lang, P.T. [Max-Planck-Institute for Plasma Physics, Boltzmannstr. 2, 85748 Garching (Germany); Macian-Juan, R. [Lehrstuhl für Nukleartechnik, TU Munich, Boltzmannstr. 15, 85748 Garching (Germany); Ploeckl, B. [Max-Planck-Institute for Plasma Physics, Boltzmannstr. 2, 85748 Garching (Germany); Szepesi, T. [Wigner RCP, RMI, P.O. Box 49, H-1525 Budapest-114 (Hungary); Weisbart, W. [Max-Planck-Institute for Plasma Physics, Boltzmannstr. 2, 85748 Garching (Germany)

2015-10-15

Highlights: • Operational principle of the ASDEX Upgrade Blower Gun. • Guiding tube properties for pellet guiding according to the requirements of W7-X. • Diagnostics for the characterization of the injection system. • Experimental procedure to investigate the performance of the Blower Gun. • Results concerning pellet speeds, mass loss, delivery efficiency and exit angle. - Abstract: Foreseen to perform pellet investigations in the new stellarator W7-X, the former ASDEX Upgrade Blower Gun was revised and revitalized. The systems operational characteristics have been surveyed in a test bed. The gun is designed to launch cylindrical pellets with 2 mm diameter and 2 mm length, produced from frozen deuterium D{sub 2}, hydrogen H{sub 2} or a gas mixture consisting of 50% H{sub 2} and 50% D{sub 2}. Pellets are accelerated by a short pulse of pressurized helium propellant gas to velocities in the range of 100–250 m/s. Delivery reliabilities at the launcher exit reach almost unity. The initial pellet mass is reduced to about 50% during the acceleration process. Pellet transfer to the plasma vessel was investigated by a first mock up guiding tube version. Transfer through this S-shaped stainless steel guiding tube (inner diameter 8 mm; length 6 m) containing two 1 m curvature radii was investigated for all pellet types. Tests were performed applying repetition rates from 2 Hz to 50 Hz and propellant gas pressures ranging from 0.1 to 0.6 MPa. For both H{sub 2} and D{sub 2}, low overall delivery efficiencies were observed at slow repetition rates, but stable efficiencies of about 90% above 10 Hz. About 10% of the mass is eroded while flying through the guiding tube. Pellets exit the guiding tube with an angular spread of less than 14°.

Compact toroidal plasmas: Simulations and theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harned, D.S.; Hewett, D.W.; Lilliequist, C.G.

1983-01-01

Realistic FRC equilibria are calculated and their stability to the n=1 tilting mode is studied. Excluding kinetic effects, configurations ranging from elliptical to racetrack are unstable. Particle simulations of FRCs show that particle loss on open field lines can cause sufficient plasma rotation to drive the n=2 rotational instability. The allowed frequencies of the shear Alfven wave are calculated for use in heating of spheromaks. An expanded spheromak is introduced and its stability properties are studied. Transport calculations of CTs are described. A power balance model shows that many features of gun-generated CT plasmas can be explained by the dominance of impurity radiation. It is shown how the Taylor relaxation theory, applied to gun-generated CT plasmas, leads to the possibility of steady-state current drive. Lastly, applications of accelerated CTs are considered. (author)

QUICK-FIRE: Plasma flow driven implosion experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baker, W.L.; Bigelow, W.S.; Degnan, J.H.

1985-01-01

High speed plasma implosions involving megajoules of energy, and sub-microsecond implosion times are expected to require additional stages of power conditioning between realistic primary energy sources and the implosion system. Plasma flow switches and vacuum inductive stores represent attractive alternates to the high speed fuse and atmospheric store techniques which have been previously reported for powering such plasma experiments. In experiments being conducted at the Air Force Weapons Lab, a washer shaped plasma accelerated to 7-10 cm/microsecond in a coaxial plasma gun configuration, represents the moving element in a vacuum store/power conditioning system of 16.5 nH inductance which stores 1-1.5 MJ at 12-14 MA. At the end of the coaxial gun, the moving element transits the 2cm axial length of the cylindrical implosion gap in 200-400 nS, delivering the magnetic energy to the implosion foil, accelerating the imploding plasma to speeds of 30-40 cm/microsecond in 350-450 nS, and delivering a projected 400 KJ of kinetic energy to the implosion

Labotratory Simulation Experiments of Cometary Plasma

OpenAIRE

MINAMI, S.; Baum, P. J.; Kamin, G.; White, R. S.; 南, 繁行

1986-01-01

Laboratory simulation experiment to study the interaction between a cometary plasma and the solar wind has been performed using the UCR-T 1 space simulation facility at the Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, the University of California, Riverside. Light emitting plasma composed of Sr, Ba and/or C simulating cometary coma plasma is produced by a plasma emitter which interacts with intense plasma flow produced by a co-axial plasma gun simulating the solar wind. The purpose of this ...

Conceptual Design for CLIC Gun Pulser

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tang, Tao [SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)

2016-01-08

The Compact Linear Collider (CLIC) is a proposed future electron-positron collider, designed to perform collisions at energies from 0.5 to 5 TeV, with a nominal design optimized for 3 TeV (Dannheim, 2012). The Drive Beam Accelerator consists of a thermionic DC gun, bunching section and an accelerating section. The thermionic gun needs deliver a long (~143us) pulse of current into the buncher. A pulser is needed to drive grid of the gun to generate a stable current output. This report explores the requirements of the gun pulser and potential solutions to regulate grid current.

Dust generation at interaction of plasma jet with surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Ticos, Catalin; Toader, Dorina; Banu, Nicoleta; Scurtu, Adrian; Oane, Mihai

2013-10-01

Coatings of W and C with widths of a few microns will be exposed to plasma jet for studying the erosion of the surface and detachment of micron size dust particles. A coaxial plasma gun has been built inside a vacuum chamber for producing supersonic plasma jets. Its design is based on a 50 kJ coaxial plasma gun which has been successfully used for accelerating hypervelocity dust. Initial shots were carried out for a capacitor bank with C = 12 μF and charged up to 2 kV. Currents of tens of amps were measured with a Rogowsky coil and plasma flow speeds of 4 km/s were inferred from high-speed images of jet propagation. An upgrade consisting in adding capacitors in parallel will be performed in order to increase the energy up to 2 kJ. A coil will be installed at the gun muzzle to compress the plasma flow and increase the energy density of the jet on the sample surface. A CCD camera with a maximum recording speed of 100 k fps and a maximum resolution of 1024 × 1024 pixels was set for image acquisition of the plasma and dust. A laser system used to illuminate the ejected dust from the surface includes a laser diode emitting at 650 nm with a beam power of 25 mW. The authors acknowledge support from EURATOM WP13-IPH-A03-P2-02-BS22.

Plasma/Neutral-Beam Etching Apparatus

Science.gov (United States)

Langer, William; Cohen, Samuel; Cuthbertson, John; Manos, Dennis; Motley, Robert

1989-01-01

Energies of neutral particles controllable. Apparatus developed to produce intense beams of reactant atoms for simulating low-Earth-orbit oxygen erosion, for studying beam-gas collisions, and for etching semiconductor substrates. Neutral beam formed by neutralization and reflection of accelerated plasma on metal plate. Plasma ejected from coaxial plasma gun toward neutralizing plate, where turned into beam of atoms or molecules and aimed at substrate to be etched.

New Electron Gun System for BEPCII

CERN Document Server

Liu, Bo; Long Chi, Yun; Zhang, Chuang

2005-01-01

The new electron gun system for BEPCII has been put into operation since Nov. 2004. The article describes the design, experiment and operation of this new system. The design current of the gun is 10 A for the pulse lengths of 1 ns, 2.5 ns and 1 μs with repetition rate of 50 Hz. The gun is operated with a pulsed high voltage power supply which can provide up to 200 kV high voltage. Computer simulations have been carried out in the design stage, including simulation of the gun geometry and beam transportation. Some important relation curves are obtained during the experiment. Two-bunch operation is available and some elementary tests have been performed. New scheme of the gun control system based on EPICS is also presented. The real operation shows that the design and manufacturing is basically successful.

120 Hz Gun Review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Colby, E.

2005-01-31

The review was held at SLAC on September 11 and 12, 2001. Presentations concerning the thermal analysis, mechanical design, integration with the laser and accelerator, general beam dynamics considerations, a load lock mechanism, and symmetric power feed options comprised the review. Slides from these presentations are available elsewhere. The review committee was charged with evaluating the 120 Hz gun design including proposed load lock and power feed options and recommending improvements. Broader evaluation of the injector as a whole (including focusing and diagnostic systems that do no impact the envelope of the gun itself) is expected to be covered in a future review and will not be commented on here. In general, the long operational experience with four generations of s-band RF guns at numerous labs worldwide has led to considerable experience in design, fabrication, and operation aspects, and provides an excellent base on which to design the higher duty factor LCLS injector. While open questions remain on obtaining the design performance from these injectors, the microwave design of the gun has reached a state of relative maturity.

Gun Violence, mental health, and Connecticut physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Dodds, Peter R; Anderson, Caitlyn O; Dodds, Jon H

2014-01-01

While there is a public perception that gun violence is associated with mental illness we present evidence that it is a complex public health problem which defies simple characterizations and solutions. Only a small percentage of individuals with mental illness are at risk for extreme violence and they account for only a small percentage of gun-related homicides. Individuals who are at risk for gun violence are difficult to identify and successfully treat. The incidence, and perhaps the demographics, of gun violence vary substantially from state to state. We make a case for Connecticut physicians to study gun violence at the state level. We recommend that Connecticut physicians promote and expand upon the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendation for creating a "safe home environment. "We suggest that guns be secured in all homes in which there are children. In addition we suggest that guns be voluntarily removed from homes in which there are individuals with a history of violence, threats of violence, depression, drug and/or alcohol abuse, and individuals with major mental illnesses who are not cooperating with therapy.

Electric rail gun application to space propulsion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barber, J.P.

1979-01-01

The paper examines the possibility of using the DC electric gun principles as a space vehicle propulsion system, capable of producing intermediate thrust levels. The application of an electromagnetic launch technique, called the DC electric rail gun, to the space propulsion concept of O'Neill, is examined. It is determined that the DC electric rail gun offers very high projectile accelerations and a very significant potential for reducing the size and mass of a reaction motor for space application. A detailed description of rail gun principles is given and some simple expressions for the accelerating force, gun impedance, power supply requirements, and system performance are discussed

Association Between Substance Use and Gun-Related Behaviors.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Danhong; Wu, Li-Tzy

2016-01-01

Gun-related violence is a public health concern. This study synthesizes findings on associations between substance use and gun-related behaviors. Searches through PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO located 66 studies published in English between 1992 and 2014. Most studies found a significant bivariate association between substance use and increased odds of gun-related behaviors. However, their association after adjustment was mixed, which could be attributed to a number of factors such as variations in definitions of substance use and gun activity, study design, sample demographics, and the specific covariates considered. Fewer studies identified a significant association between substance use and gun access/possession than other gun activities. The significant association between nonsubstance covariates (e.g., demographic covariates and other behavioral risk factors) and gun-related behaviors might have moderated the association between substance use and gun activities. Particularly, the strength of association between substance use and gun activities tended to reduce appreciably or to become nonsignificant after adjustment for mental disorders. Some studies indicated a positive association between the frequency of substance use and the odds of engaging in gun-related behaviors. Overall, the results suggest a need to consider substance use in research and prevention programs for gun-related violence. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Brief use of a specific gun in a violent game does not affect attitudes towards that gun.

Science.gov (United States)

Hilgard, Joseph; Engelhardt, Christopher R; Bartholow, Bruce D

2016-11-01

Although much attention has been paid to the question of whether violent video games increase aggressive behaviour, little attention has been paid to how such games might encourage antecedents of gun violence. In this study, we examined how product placement, the attractive in-game presentation of certain real-world firearm brands, might encourage gun ownership, a necessary antecedent of gun violence. We sought to study how the virtual portrayal of a real-world firearm (the Bushmaster AR-15) could influence players' attitudes towards the AR-15 specifically and gun ownership in general. College undergraduates ( N  = 176) played one of four modified video games in a 2 (gun: AR-15 or science-fiction control) × 2 (gun power: strong or weak) between-subjects design. Despite collecting many outcomes and examining many potential covariates and moderators, experimental assignment did little to influence outcomes of product evaluations or purchasing intentions with regard to the AR-15. Attitudes towards public policy and estimation of gun safety were also not influenced by experimental condition, although these might have been better tested by comparison against a no-violence control condition. By contrast, gender and political party had dramatic associations with all outcomes. We conclude that, if product placement shapes attitudes towards firearms, such effects will need to be studied with stronger manipulations or more sensitive measures.

Brief use of a specific gun in a violent game does not affect attitudes towards that gun

Science.gov (United States)

Engelhardt, Christopher R.; Bartholow, Bruce D.

2016-01-01

Although much attention has been paid to the question of whether violent video games increase aggressive behaviour, little attention has been paid to how such games might encourage antecedents of gun violence. In this study, we examined how product placement, the attractive in-game presentation of certain real-world firearm brands, might encourage gun ownership, a necessary antecedent of gun violence. We sought to study how the virtual portrayal of a real-world firearm (the Bushmaster AR-15) could influence players' attitudes towards the AR-15 specifically and gun ownership in general. College undergraduates (N = 176) played one of four modified video games in a 2 (gun: AR-15 or science-fiction control) × 2 (gun power: strong or weak) between-subjects design. Despite collecting many outcomes and examining many potential covariates and moderators, experimental assignment did little to influence outcomes of product evaluations or purchasing intentions with regard to the AR-15. Attitudes towards public policy and estimation of gun safety were also not influenced by experimental condition, although these might have been better tested by comparison against a no-violence control condition. By contrast, gender and political party had dramatic associations with all outcomes. We conclude that, if product placement shapes attitudes towards firearms, such effects will need to be studied with stronger manipulations or more sensitive measures. PMID:28018611

Nail gun injuries among construction workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Dement, John M; Lipscomb, Hester; Li, Leiming; Epling, Carol; Desai, Tejas

2003-05-01

Pneumatic nail guns greatly increase worker productivity and are extensively used in wood frame building construction, with especially high use in residential construction. One surveillance report of nail gun injuries in Washington State has been published; however, other literature consists largely of case reports and case series in trauma journals. The major objective of the current study was to investigate the occurrence of nail gun-associated injuries among construction workers and to identify preventable work-related factors associated with these injuries. Nail gun-related injuries occurring among a cohort of 13,347 carpenters in Ohio who worked union hours during the time period January 1, 1994, until September 30, 1997, were identified by matching the cohort with workers' compensation claims made to the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation. We also analyzed workers' compensation claims for North Carolina Home Builders Association members for the period July 1996-November 1999 to identify nail gun-related injuries. Analyses included stratified analyses of claims by nature and body part injured, calculation of nail gun injury rates, and analyses of free text descriptions of injuries. Overall, nail gun injuries were responsible for 3.9 percent of workers' compensation claims with 8.3 percent to 25.5 percent of claims involving paid lost work time. The overall rate of nail gun injuries (cases per 200,000 work hours) was 0.33 in North Carolina and 0.26 in Ohio, reflecting the greater concentration of wood frame construction workers in the North Carolina population studied. Higher rates of injury were observed for carpenters in North Carolina and among residential carpenters in Ohio. The predominant body part injured was the hands/fingers, with 80 to 89 percent of injuries being nail punctures. Analyses of free text information for puncture injuries found approximately 70 percent of injuries to occur during the framing/sheathing stage of construction. Our data

Dynamics of Plasma Jets and Bubbles Launched into a Transverse Background Magnetic Field

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yue

2017-10-01

A coaxial magnetized plasma gun has been utilized to launch both plasma jets (open B-field) and plasma bubbles (closed B-field) into a transverse background magnetic field in the HelCat (Helicon-Cathode) linear device at the University of New Mexico. These situations may have bearing on fusion plasmas (e.g. plasma injection for tokamak fueling, ELM pacing, or disruption mitigation) and astrophysical settings (e.g. astrophysical jet stability, coronal mass ejections, etc.). The magnetic Reynolds number of the gun plasma is 100 , so that magnetic advection dominates over magnetic diffusion. The gun plasma ram pressure, ρjetVjet2 >B02 / 2μ0 , the background magnetic pressure, so that the jet or bubble can easily penetrate the background B-field, B0. When the gun axial B-field is weak compared to the gun azimuthal field, a current-driven jet is formed with a global helical magnetic configuration. Applying the transverse background magnetic field, it is observed that the n = 1 kink mode is stabilized, while magnetic probe measurements show contrarily that the safety factor q(a) drops below unity. At the same time, a sheared axial jet velocity is measured. We conclude that the tension force arising from increasing curvature of the background magnetic field induces the measured sheared flow gradient above the theoretical kink-stabilization threshold, resulting in the emergent kink stabilization of the injected plasma jet. In the case of injected bubbles, spheromak-like plasma formation is verified. However, when the spheromak plasma propagates into the transverse background magnetic field, the typical self-closed global symmetry magnetic configuration does not hold any more. In the region where the bubble toroidal field opposed the background B-field, the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instability has been observed. Details of the experiment setup, diagnostics, experimental results and theoretical analysis will be presented. Supported by the National Science Foundation

Rail gun powered by an integral explosive generator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterson, D.R.; Fowler, C.M.

1979-01-01

We propose the use of a rail gun powered by an explosive magnetic flux compression generator built into the rail gun itself in which the rails of the gun are driven together behind the projectile by explosives. The magnetic field established between the rails by an initial current supplied by an external source at the breech of the gun is trapped and compressed by the collapsing rails to accelerate the projectile down the bore of the gun

GUN4-Porphyrin Complexes Bind the ChlH/GUN5 Subunit of Mg-Chelatase and Promote Chlorophyll Biosynthesis in Arabidopsis[W

Science.gov (United States)

Adhikari, Neil D.; Froehlich, John E.; Strand, Deserah D.; Buck, Stephanie M.; Kramer, David M.; Larkin, Robert M.

2011-01-01

The GENOMES UNCOUPLED4 (GUN4) protein stimulates chlorophyll biosynthesis by activating Mg-chelatase, the enzyme that commits protoporphyrin IX to chlorophyll biosynthesis. This stimulation depends on GUN4 binding the ChlH subunit of Mg-chelatase and the porphyrin substrate and product of Mg-chelatase. After binding porphyrins, GUN4 associates more stably with chloroplast membranes and was proposed to promote interactions between ChlH and chloroplast membranes—the site of Mg-chelatase activity. GUN4 was also proposed to attenuate the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by binding and shielding light-exposed porphyrins from collisions with O2. To test these proposals, we first engineered Arabidopsis thaliana plants that express only porphyrin binding–deficient forms of GUN4. Using these transgenic plants and particular mutants, we found that the porphyrin binding activity of GUN4 and Mg-chelatase contribute to the accumulation of chlorophyll, GUN4, and Mg-chelatase subunits. Also, we found that the porphyrin binding activity of GUN4 and Mg-chelatase affect the associations of GUN4 and ChlH with chloroplast membranes and have various effects on the expression of ROS-inducible genes. Based on our findings, we conclude that ChlH and GUN4 use distinct mechanisms to associate with chloroplast membranes and that mutant alleles of GUN4 and Mg-chelatase genes cause sensitivity to intense light by a mechanism that is potentially complex. PMID:21467578

Non-Uniform Cathode Emission Studies of a MIG Gun

Science.gov (United States)

Marchewka, C. D.; Shapiro, M. A.; Sirigiri, J. R.; Temkin, R. J.

2004-11-01

We present the initial results of the modeling of the effect of emission non-uniformity in 96 kV, 40 A Magnetron Injection Gun (MIG) of a 1.5 MW 110 GHz gyrotron using a 3D gun simulation code. The azimuthal emission nonuniformity can lead to increased mode competition and an overall decreased efficiency of the device [1]. The electron beam is modeled from the cathode to a downstream position where the velocity spread saturates using the AMAZE 3D suite of codes. After bench marking the results of the 3D code with 2D codes such as TRAK2D and EGUN, the emitter was modified to simulate asymmetric emission from the cathode to gain an understanding into the effects of inhomogeneous beam current density on the velocity spread and pitch factor of the electron beam. [1] G. S. Nusinovich, A.N. Vlasov, M. Botton, T. M. Antonsen, Jr., S. Cauffman, K. Felch, ``Effect of the azimuthal inhomogeneity of electron emission on gyrotron operation,'' Phys. Plasmas, vol. 8, no. 7, pp. 3473-3479, 2001

Study of the electrical signals observed during the initial stage in a coaxial gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moreno, C.; Vieytes, R.

1995-01-01

In this work high frequency oscillations further experimental data, along with its theoretical modeling will be given for initial phase in a coaxial gun constructed to be used in technological applications of plasma. Particular attention was devoted to find any dependence between the measured frequencies and the operating pressure and voltage. 1 ref., 1 fig., 1 tab

Rate control for electron gun evaporation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schellingerhout, A.J.G.; Janocko, M.A.; Klapwijk, T.M.; Mooij, J.E.

1989-01-01

Principles for obtaining high-quality rate control for electron gun evaporation are discussed. The design criteria for rate controllers are derived from this analysis. Results are presented which have been obtained with e-guns whose evaporation rate is controlled by a Wehnelt electrode or by sweeping of the electron beam. Further improvements of rate stability can be obtained by improved design of e-guns and power supplies

An improved barium plasma source for q-machines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paris, P.J.; Gorgerat, P.; Simik, A.; Rynn, N.; Roe, S.; Schleipen, M.

1988-06-01

We have developed a stable q-machine with well determined parameters for long term times, of constant plasma density and temperature. The plasma characteristics and gun behaviour allow research in fundamental plasma physics, especially with the use of non perturbing powerful optical (LIF) diagnostics in the determination of many of the plasma parameters. (author) 17 figs., 2 tabs., 7 refs

Recent measurements of electron density profiles of plasmas in PLADIS I, a plasma disruption simulator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bradley, J. III; Sharp, G.; Gahl, J.M. Kuznetsov, V.; Rockett, P.; Hunter, J.

1995-01-01

Tokamak disruption simulation experiments are being conducted at the University of New Mexico (UNM) using the PLADIS I plasma gun system. PLADIS I is a high power, high energy coaxial plasma gun configured to produce an intense plasma beam. First wall candidate materials are placed in the beam path to determine their response under disruption relevant energy densities. An optically thick vapor shield plasma has been observed to form above the target surface in PLADIS I. Various diagnostics have been used to determine the characteristics of the incident plasma and the vapor shielding plasma. The cross sectional area of the incident plasma beam is a critical characteristic, as it is used in the calculation of the incident plasma energy density. Recently, a HeNe interferometer in the Mach-Zehnder configuration has been constructed and used to probe the electron density of the incident plasma beam and vapor shield plasma. The object beam of the interferometer is scanned across the plasma beam on successive shots, yielding line integrals of beam density on different chords through the plasma. Data from the interferometer is used to determine the electron density profile of the incident plasma beam as a function of beam radius. This data is then used to calculate the effective beam area. Estimates. of beam area, obtained from other diagnostics such as damage targets, calorimeter arrays and off-axis measurements of surface pressure, will be compared with data from the interferometer to obtain a better estimate of the beam cross sectional area

Background Checks for all Gun Buyers and Gun Violence Restraining Orders: State Efforts to Keep Guns from High-Risk Persons.

Science.gov (United States)

Vernick, Jon S; Alcorn, Ted; Horwitz, Joshua

2017-03-01

There were more than 36,000 firearm-related deaths in the U.S. in 2015. Under federal law, a background check is required only for gun purchases from licensed dealers. Research suggests that some persons prohibited from owning a gun turn to private sellers, including those identified online, to attempt to obtain a firearm. State-level approaches to make it more difficult for high-risk persons to purchase or possess firearms include universal background check (UBC) and gun violence restraining order (GVRO) laws. UBC laws, on the books in 18 states as of the end of 2016, can reduce both homicide and suicide rates. After Colorado adopted a UBC law in 2013, the number of background checks conducted by private sellers for sales occurring at places other than gun shows steadily increased. GVRO laws give law enforcement and families the authority to petition a court to temporarily remove firearms from an individual who presents a danger to himself or others during times of crisis, regardless of whether that person has been diagnosed with a mental illness. California enacted a GVRO law in 2014. Data are emerging to suggest the effectiveness of GVRO-type laws at averting suicides and providing an entryway to services.

Testing a GaAs cathode in SRF gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, E.; Kewisch, J.; Ben-Zvi, I.; Burrill, A.; Rao, T.; Wu, Q.; Holmes, D.

2011-01-01

RF electron guns with a strained superlattice GaAs cathode are expected to generate polarized electron beams of higher brightness and lower emittance than do DC guns, due to their higher field gradient at the cathode's surface and lower cathode temperature. We plan to install a bulk GaAs:Cs in a SRF gun to evaluate the performance of both the gun and the cathode in this environment. The status of this project is: In our 1.3 GHz 1/2 cell SRF gun, the vacuum can be maintained at nearly 10 -12 Torr because of cryo-pumping at 2K. With conventional activation of bulk GaAs, we obtained a QE of 10% at 532 nm, with lifetime of more than 3 days in the preparation chamber and have shown that it can survive in transport from the preparation chamber to the gun. The beam line has been assembled and we are exploring the best conditions for baking the cathode under vacuum. We report here the progress of our test of the GaAs cathode in the SRF gun. Future particle accelerators, such as eRHIC and the ILC require high-brightness, high-current polarized electrons. Strained superlattice GaAs:Cs has been shown to be an efficient cathode for producing polarized electrons. Activation of GaAs with Cs,O(F) lowers the electron affinity and makes it energetically possible for all the electrons, excited into the conduction band that drift or diffuse to the emission surface, to escape into the vacuum. Presently, all operating polarized electron sources, such as the CEBAF, are DC guns. In these devices, the excellent ultra-high vacuum extends the lifetime of the cathode. However, the low field gradient on the photocathode's emission surface of the DC guns limits the beam quality. The higher accelerating gradients, possible in the RF guns, generate a far better beam. Until recently, most RF guns operated at room temperature, limiting the vacuum to ∼10 -9 Torr. This destroys the GaAs's NEA surface. The SRF guns combine the excellent vacuum conditions of DC guns and the high accelerating

Extended suicide using an atypical stud gun.

Science.gov (United States)

Hagemeier, L; Schyma, C; Madea, B

2009-08-10

Suicides with stud guns are uncommon, but are well documented in the literature. On rare occasions, stud guns are also used as a homicide weapon. This case report describes an extended suicide in which a husband killed his wife and their two dogs, which lived on the property. The husband then committed suicide with a shot from the stud gun into his skull. He was a 70-year-old pensioner, a retired butcher, who was found by his son. He was lying in a supine position on a carpet in the living room, with the stud gun stuck in his skull. During autopsy, high concentrations of an antihistamine were found in the blood of each corpse; this drug is used as a soporific. In contrast to the literature, which mainly describes powder deposits due to the use of conventional stud guns, in this case a stud gun was used in which the expanding gases and powder escaped together with the central bolt at the front of the device; powder drains were not involved. Detailed findings of the autopsy are given with reference to this type of stud gun.

Ready, Fire, Aim: The College Campus Gun Fight

Science.gov (United States)

Birnbaum, Robert

2013-01-01

The question of whether guns should be permitted on college and university campuses in the United States reflects the tension between two competing perspectives. America has both a robust gun culture and an equally robust (if less well known) gun-control culture. The gun culture is as American as apple pie: There may be as many as 300 million…

Plasma density evolution in plasma opening switch obtained by a time-resolved sensitive He-Ne interferometer