Kinetic Analysis of Weakly ionized Plasmas in presence of collecting walls

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzalez, J.; Donoso, J. M.

2018-02-01

Description of plasmas in contact with a wall able to collecting or emitting charged particles is a research topic of great importance. This situation arises in a great variety of phenomena such as the characterization of plasmas by means of electric probes, in the surface treatment of materials and in the service-life of coatings in electric thrusters. In particular, in this work we devote attention to the dynamics of an argon weakly ionized plasma in the presence of a collecting wall. It is proposed a kinetic model in a 1D1V planar phase-space geometry. The model accounts for the electric field coupled to the system by solving the associated Poisson’s equation. To solve numerically the resulting non-linear system of equations, the Propagator Integral Method is used in conjunction with a slabbing method. On each interrelating plasma slab the integral advancing scheme operates in velocity space, in such a way that the all the species dynamics dominating the system evolution are kinetically described.

Effect of the radio frequency discharge on the dust charging process in a weakly collisional and fully ionized plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Motie, Iman [Department of Physics, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Bokaeeyan, Mahyar, E-mail: Mehyar9798@gmail.com [Department of Engineering, University of Applied Science and Technology (UAST)-Mohandesan Center, Mashhad (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2015-02-15

A close analysis of dust charging process in the presence of radio frequency (RF) discharge on low pressure and fully ionized plasma for both weak and strong discharge's electric field is considered. When the electromagnetic waves pass throughout fully ionized plasma, the collision frequency of the plasma is derived. Moreover, the disturbed distribution function of plasma particles in the presence of the RF discharge is obtained. In this article, by using the Krook model, we separate the distribution function in two parts, the Maxwellian part and the perturbed part. The perturbed part of distribution can make an extra current, so-called the accretion rate of electron (or ion) current, towards a dust particle as a function of the average electron-ion collision frequency. It is proven that when the potential of dust grains increases, the accretion rate of electron current experiences an exponential reduction. Furthermore, the accretion rate of electron current for a strong electric field is relatively smaller than that for a weak electric field. The reasons are elaborated.

Propagation characteristics of electromagnetic waves in dusty plasma with full ionization

Science.gov (United States)

Dan, Li; Guo, Li-Xin; Li, Jiang-Ting

2018-01-01

This study investigates the propagation characteristics of electromagnetic (EM) waves in fully ionized dusty plasmas. The propagation characteristics of fully ionized plasma with and without dust under the Fokker-Planck-Landau (FPL) and Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook (BGK) models are compared to those of weakly ionized plasmas by using the propagation matrix method. It is shown that the FPL model is suitable for the analysis of the propagation characteristics of weakly collisional and fully ionized dusty plasmas, as is the BGK model. The influence of varying the dust parameters on the propagation properties of EM waves in the fully ionized dusty plasma was analyzed using the FPL model. The simulation results indicated that the densities and average radii of dust grains influence the reflection and transmission coefficients of fully ionized dusty plasma slabs. These results may be utilized to analyze the effects of interaction between EM waves and dusty plasmas, such as those associated with hypersonic vehicles.

The analog of Blanc's law for drift velocities of electrons in gas mixtures in weakly ionized plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiflikian, R.V.

1995-01-01

The analog of Blanc's law for drift velocities of electrons in multicomponent gas mixtures in weakly ionized spatially homogeneous low-temperature plasma is derived. The obtained approximate-analytical expressions are valid for average electron energy in the 1--5 eV range typical for plasma conditions of low-pressure direct current (DC) discharges. The accuracy of these formulas is ±5%. The analytical criterion of the negative differential conductivity (NDC) of electrons in binary mixtures of gases is obtained. NDC of electrons is predicted in He:Kr and He:Xe rare gas mixtures. copyright 1995 American Institute of Physics

Characterization of weakly ionized argon flows for radio blackout mitigation experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Steffens, L.; Koch, U.; Esser, B.; Gülhan, A.

2017-06-01

For reproducing the so-called E × B communication blackout mitigation scheme inside the L2K arc heated facility of the DLR in weakly ionized argon §ows, a §at plate model has been equipped with a superconducting magnet, electrodes, and a setup comprising microwave plasma transmission spectroscopy (MPTS). A thorough characterization of the weakly ionized argon §ow has been performed including the use of microwave interferometry (MWI), Langmuir probe measurements, Pitot probe pro¦les, and spectroscopic methods like diode laser absorption spectroscopy (DLAS) and emission spectroscopy.

Solution of the non-stationary electron Boltzmann equation for a weakly ionized collision dominated plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winkler, R.; Wilhelm, J.

A detailed description is presented of calculating the nonstationary electron distribution function in a weakly ionized collision-dominated plasma from the Boltzmann kinetic equation respecting the effects of the time-dependent electric field, collision processes and the electron formation and loss. The finite difference approximation was used for numerical solution. Using the Crank-Nicolson method and parabolic interpolation between the grid points the Boltzmann equation was transformed to a system of linear equations which was then solved by iterations at a preset accuracy. Using the calculated distribution function values, the macroscopic plasma parameters were determined and the balance of electron density and energy checked in each time step. The mathematical procedure is illustrated using a neon plasma perturbed by a rectangular electric pulse. The time development shown of the distribution function at moments when the pulse was switched on and off demonstrates the great stability of the numerical solution. (J.U.)

Kinetic theory of transport processes in weakly ionized gases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Odenhoven, F.J.F. van

1984-01-01

A consistent method for the treatment of a plasma of arbitrary degree of ionization is presented. This method consists of a perturbation expansion in the framework of the multiple time scales formalism. Here the results are presented for a weakly ionized gas where elastic electron-atom collisions dominate. It appears that an isotropic correction to the zeroth order Maxwellian electron distribution function is necessary. Calculated electron transport coefficients are compared with the Frost mixture rule and with other calculations. (orig.)

Irradiation of intense characteristic x-rays from weakly ionized linear molybdenum plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sato, Eiichi; Hayasi, Yasuomi

2003-01-01

In the plasma flash x-ray generator, a high-voltage main condenser of approximately 200 nF is charged up to 55 kV by a power supply, and electric charges in the condenser are discharged to an x-ray tube after triggering the cathode electrode. The flash x-rays are then produced. The x-ray tube is a demountable triode that is connected to a turbo molecular pump with a pressure of approximately 1 mPa. As electron flows from the cathode electrode are roughly converged to a rod molybdenum target of 2.0 mm in diameter by the electric field in the x-ray tube, weakly ionized linear plasma, which consists of molybdenum ions and electrons, forms by target evaporation. At a charging voltage of 55 kV, the maximum tube voltage was almost equal to the charging voltage of the main condenser, and the peak current was about 20 kA. When the charging voltage was increased, the linear plasma formed, and the K-series characteristic x-ray intensities increased. The K lines were quite sharp and intense, and hardly any bremsstrahlung rays were detected. The x-ray pulse widths were approximately 700 ns, and the time-integrated x-ray intensity had a value of approximately 35 μC/kg at 1.0 m from the x-ray source with a charging voltage of 50 kV. (author)

Neutral Atom Diffusion in a Partially Ionized Prominence Plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Gilbert, Holly

2010-01-01

The support of solar prominences is normally described in terms of a magnetic force on the prominence plasma that balances the solar gravitational force. Because the prominence plasma is only partially ionized. it is necessary to consider in addition the support of the neutral component of the prominence plasma. This support is accomplished through a frictional interaction between the neutral and ionized components of the plasma, and its efficacy depends strongly on the degree of ionization of the plasma. More specifically, the frictional force is proportional to the relative flow of neutral and ion species, and for a sufficiently weakly ionized plasma, this flow must be relatively large to produce a frictional force that balances gravity. A large relative flow, of course, implies significant draining of neutral particles from the prominence. We evaluate the importance of this draining effect for a hydrogen-helium plasma, and consider the observational evidence for cross-field diffusion of neutral prominence material,

Investigation of mechanisms for He-I emission radial profile broadening in a weakly ionized cylindrical helium plasma with recombining edge

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hollmann, E. M.; Brandt, C.; Hudson, B.; Nishijima, D.; Pigarov, A. Yu. [University of California–San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, California 92093-0417 (United States); Kumar, D. [Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N Charles St., Baltimore, Maryland 21218 (United States)

2013-09-15

Spatially resolved spectroscopic measurements of He-I line emission are used to study the causes of emission profile broadening radially across the cylinder of a weakly ionized helium plasma. The plasma consists of an ionizing core (r < 2 cm) surrounded by a recombining edge (r > 2 cm) plasma. The brightness profiles of low-n EUV He-I resonance lines are shown to be strongly radially broadened due to opacity. The brightness profiles of high-n visible lines are also found to be strongly radially broadened, but dominantly due to edge recombination. Visible low-n lines are less strongly radially broadened, apparently by a combination of both recombination and EUV opacity. The low-n visible He-I line ratio method with central opacity correction is found to calculate central electron density and temperature well, with poor agreement at the edge, as expected for recombining plasma. In the recombining edge, high-n Boltzmann analysis is found to accurately measure the cold (T{sub e} < 0.2 eV) edge temperature. Near the core, however, high-n Boltzmann analysis can be complicated by electron-impact excitation, giving incorrect (T{sub e}≈ 0.1 eV) apparent temperatures. Probe measurements were not able to capture the cold edge temperature accurately, probably due to large potential fluctuations, even when using fast triple probe measurements. Fast spectroscopic measurements show that this discrepancy is not explained by recombining plasma alternating with ionizing plasma in the edge region.

ALFVEN WAVES IN A PARTIALLY IONIZED TWO-FLUID PLASMA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Soler, R.; Ballester, J. L.; Terradas, J. [Departament de Fisica, Universitat de les Illes Balears, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca (Spain); Carbonell, M., E-mail: roberto.soler@uib.es, E-mail: joseluis.ballester@uib.es, E-mail: jaume.terradas@uib.es, E-mail: marc.carbonell@uib.es [Departament de Matematiques i Informatica, Universitat de les Illes Balears, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca (Spain)

2013-04-20

Alfven waves are a particular class of magnetohydrodynamic waves relevant in many astrophysical and laboratory plasmas. In partially ionized plasmas the dynamics of Alfven waves is affected by the interaction between ionized and neutral species. Here we study Alfven waves in a partially ionized plasma from the theoretical point of view using the two-fluid description. We consider that the plasma is composed of an ion-electron fluid and a neutral fluid, which interact by means of particle collisions. To keep our investigation as general as possible, we take the neutral-ion collision frequency and the ionization degree as free parameters. First, we perform a normal mode analysis. We find the modification due to neutral-ion collisions of the wave frequencies and study the temporal and spatial attenuation of the waves. In addition, we discuss the presence of cutoff values of the wavelength that constrain the existence of oscillatory standing waves in weakly ionized plasmas. Later, we go beyond the normal mode approach and solve the initial-value problem in order to study the time-dependent evolution of the wave perturbations in the two fluids. An application to Alfven waves in the low solar atmospheric plasma is performed and the implication of partial ionization for the energy flux is discussed.

Ionization equilibrium in dense plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ying, R.

1987-01-01

The average degree of ionization for a strongly coupled plasma is investigated and calculated. Two widely used approaches: the Saha equation method and the Thomas-Fermi (TF) statistical atomic model are adopted to determine the degree of ionization. Both methods are modified in a number of ways to include the strong-coupling effect in the plasma. In the Saha equation approach, the strong-coupling effects are introduced through: (i) a replacement of the Coulomb potential by a screened Debye potential; (ii) adoption of the Planck-Larkin partition function; (iii) description of the electron component by Fermi-Dirac statistics. The calculated degree of ionization exceeds that obtained from the original Saha equation, exhibits a minimum as a function of the density and shows an abrupt phase transition from weakly ionized to a fully ionized state. The zero-temperature TF model for compressed ions and the finite-temperature TF model for ions are investigated for the first time. In order to take into account the strong-coupling effect in a systematic way, a strong-coupling TF model is set up. Favorable results with the relatively simple approximations indicate that the newly established strong-coupling TF model is a more systematic and physically consistent approach

Effects of weakly coupled and dense quantum plasmas environments on charge exchange and ionization processes in Na+ + Rb(5s) atom collisions

Science.gov (United States)

Pandey, Mukesh Kumar; Lin, Yen-Chang; Ho, Yew Kam

2017-02-01

The effects of weakly coupled or classical and dense quantum plasmas environment on charge exchange and ionization processes in Na+ + Rb(5s) atom collision at keV energy range have been investigated using classical trajectory Monte Carlo (CTMC) method. The interaction of three charged particles are described by the Debye-Hückel screen potential for weakly coupled plasma, whereas exponential cosine-screened Coulomb potential have been used for dense quantum plasma environment and the effects of both conditions on the cross sections are compared. It is found that screening effects on cross sections in high Debye length condition is quite small in both plasma environments. However, enhanced screening effects on cross sections are observed in dense quantum plasmas for low Debye length condition, which becomes more effective while decreasing the Debye length. Also, we have found that our calculated results for plasma-free case are comparable with the available theoretical results. These results are analyzed in light of available theoretical data with the choice of model potentials.

Electron and ion transport equations in computational weakly-ionized plasmadynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parent, Bernard; Macheret, Sergey O.; Shneider, Mikhail N.

2014-01-01

A new set of ion and electron transport equations is proposed to simulate steady or unsteady quasi-neutral or non-neutral multicomponent weakly-ionized plasmas through the drift–diffusion approximation. The proposed set of equations is advantaged over the conventional one by being considerably less stiff in quasi-neutral regions because it can be integrated in conjunction with a potential equation based on Ohm's law rather than Gauss's law. The present approach is advantaged over previous attempts at recasting the system by being applicable to plasmas with several types of positive ions and negative ions and by not requiring changes to the boundary conditions. Several test cases of plasmas enclosed by dielectrics and of glow discharges between electrodes show that the proposed equations yield the same solution as the standard equations but require 10 to 100 times fewer iterations to reach convergence whenever a quasi-neutral region forms. Further, several grid convergence studies indicate that the present approach exhibits a higher resolution (and hence requires fewer nodes to reach a given level of accuracy) when ambipolar diffusion is present. Because the proposed equations are not intrinsically linked to specific discretization or integration schemes and exhibit substantial advantages with no apparent disadvantage, they are generally recommended as a substitute to the fluid models in which the electric field is obtained from Gauss's law as long as the plasma remains weakly-ionized and unmagnetized

Motion of ionizing electric-field solitons in a bounded plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lagar'kov, A.; Rutkevich, I.

1981-01-01

A theory is derived for the motion of fast ionization waves along a plane slab of a weakly ionized plasma. The properties of the ionization wave are shown to be closely related to the motion of a two-dimensional surface-charge wave along the slab boundaries. As a result, the ionization wave is quite different from a one-dimensional wave. A quasi-one-dimensional description is used for the wave motion, in which the initial equations are averaged over the transverse coordinate. The relationship between the normal component of the current density at the plasma boundary and the amplitude of the electric potential from the linear theory for a surface wave is used to close the system of averaged equations. Self-similar solutions are derived for these equations; the solutions describe space-charge solitons and electric-field solitons which ionize the plasma. The theory is used to explain the motion of fast ionization waves in long discharge tubes

Aerodynamic Effects in Weakly Ionized Gas: Phenomenology and Applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Popovic, S.; Vuskovic, L.

2006-01-01

Aerodynamic effects in ionized gases, often neglected phenomena, have been subject of a renewed interest in recent years. After a brief historical account, we discuss a selected number of effects and unresolved problems that appear to be relevant in both aeronautic and propulsion applications in subsonic, supersonic, and hypersonic flow. Interaction between acoustic shock waves and weakly ionized gas is manifested either as plasma-induced shock wave dispersion and acceleration or as shock-wave induced double electric layer in the plasma, followed by the localized increase of the average electron energy and density, as well as enhancement of optical emission. We describe the phenomenology of these effects and discuss several experiments that still do not have an adequate interpretation. Critical for application of aerodynamic effects is the energy deposition into the flow. We classify and discuss some proposed wall-free generation schemes with respect to the efficiency of energy deposition and overall generation of the aerodynamic body force

On the kinetic theory of QPEMIC instabilities in weakly ionized plasmas placed in non-parallel fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milic, B.S.; Gajic, D.Z.

1994-01-01

Quasi-perpendicular electromagnetic ion-cyclotron (QPEMIC) modes and instabilities are studied, on the ground of linear theory of perturbations and kinetic equations with BGK collision integrals, in weakly ionized, low-β and moderately non-isothermal plasmas placed in non-parallel electric and magnetic fields. The magnetization is assumed to be sufficiently high to cut off the perpendicular steady-state current. Special attention is given to evaluation of magnitudes of the threshold drifts required for the onset of instabilities. It is found that these drifts are smaller than those for the corresponding quasi-perpendicular electrostatic ion-cyclotron (QPESIC) instabilities studied previously for the same type of plasmas. Both QPEMIC and QPESIC threshold drifts exhibit the same behavioural pattern if the order of harmonic, magnetization, non-isothermality or the angle between the fields are varied. An increase of the angle between the fields lowers the threshold drifts, which means that the presence of u perpendicular to (or E perpendicular to ) facilitates the excitation of both QPEMIC and QPESIC instabilities. The QPEMIC threshold drifts are found to depend on the overall gas pressure, and to decrease as the pressure is lowered, which is a feature not found in the QPESIC case. The discrepancies between the QPEMIC and QPESIC threshold drifts increase if the pressure decreases, or if magnetization, degree of ionization or ion charge number increase. (orig.)

Electron energy distribution in a weakly ionized plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cesari, C.

1967-03-01

The aim of this work is to determine from both the theoretical and experimental points of view the type of distribution function for the electronic energies existing in a positive-column type cold laboratory plasma having an ionization rate of between 10 -6 and 10 -7 . The theoretical analysis, based on the imperfect Lorentz model and taking into account inelastic collisions is developed from the Boltzmann equation. The experimental method which we have employed for making an electrostatic analysis of the electronic energies makes use of a Langmuir probe used in conjunction with a transistorized electronic device. A comparison between the experimental and theoretical results yields information concerning the mechanisms governing electronic energy transfer on a microscopic scale. (author) [fr

ALFVÉN WAVES IN A PARTIALLY IONIZED TWO-FLUID PLASMA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soler, R.; Ballester, J. L.; Terradas, J.; Carbonell, M.

2013-01-01

Alfvén waves are a particular class of magnetohydrodynamic waves relevant in many astrophysical and laboratory plasmas. In partially ionized plasmas the dynamics of Alfvén waves is affected by the interaction between ionized and neutral species. Here we study Alfvén waves in a partially ionized plasma from the theoretical point of view using the two-fluid description. We consider that the plasma is composed of an ion-electron fluid and a neutral fluid, which interact by means of particle collisions. To keep our investigation as general as possible, we take the neutral-ion collision frequency and the ionization degree as free parameters. First, we perform a normal mode analysis. We find the modification due to neutral-ion collisions of the wave frequencies and study the temporal and spatial attenuation of the waves. In addition, we discuss the presence of cutoff values of the wavelength that constrain the existence of oscillatory standing waves in weakly ionized plasmas. Later, we go beyond the normal mode approach and solve the initial-value problem in order to study the time-dependent evolution of the wave perturbations in the two fluids. An application to Alfvén waves in the low solar atmospheric plasma is performed and the implication of partial ionization for the energy flux is discussed.

Physics of partially ionized plasmas

CERN Document Server

Krishan, Vinod

2016-01-01

Plasma is one of the four fundamental states of matter; the other three being solid, liquid and gas. Several components, such as molecular clouds, diffuse interstellar gas, the solar atmosphere, the Earth's ionosphere and laboratory plasmas, including fusion plasmas, constitute the partially ionized plasmas. This book discusses different aspects of partially ionized plasmas including multi-fluid description, equilibrium and types of waves. The discussion goes on to cover the reionization phase of the universe, along with a brief description of high discharge plasmas, tokomak plasmas and laser plasmas. Various elastic and inelastic collisions amongst the three particle species are also presented. In addition, the author demonstrates the novelty of partially ionized plasmas using many examples; for instance, in partially ionized plasma the magnetic induction is subjected to the ambipolar diffusion and the Hall effect, as well as the usual resistive dissipation. Also included is an observation of kinematic dynam...

Attenuation of acoustic waves through reflections at the plasma neutral gas interfaces: weakly ionised case

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghosal, S.K.; Sen, S.N.

1977-01-01

The problem of transmission of sonic waves through a weakly ionised plasma bounded in each side by a neutral gas medium has been treated by assuming the plasma to be a mixture of two intermingled fluids viz., neutral particle fluid and ion fluid in equilibrium. From a hydrodynamic analysis the wave equation for 'p', the macroscopic pressure perturbation has been obtained and it is shown that two independent wave motions, one due to the neutral particles and the other due to ions are propagated through the plasma with two different phase velocities. Assuming the usual boundary conditions at the interface, the amplitude of the transmitted wave has been calculated in case of weakly ionized plasma; the theory can be utilized for the determination of electron temperature from the measured value of attenuation if the percentage of ionization and collision cross section can be obtained independently. (author)

Hybrid Simulation of Supersonic Flow of Weakly Ionized Plasma along Open Field Magnetic Line Effect of Background Pressure

Science.gov (United States)

Laosunthara, Ampan; Akatsuka, Hiroshi

2016-09-01

In previous study, we experimentally examined physical properties of supersonic flow of weakly ionized expanding arc-jet plasma through an open magnetic field line (Bmax 0.16T). We found supersonic velocity of helium plasma up to Mach 3 and the space potential drop at the end of the magnets. To understand the plasma in numerical point of view, the flows of ion and neutral are treated by particle-based Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method, electron is treated as a fluid. The previous numerical study, we assumed 2 conditions. Ion and electron temperatures were the same (LTE condition). Ion and electron velocities were the same (current-free condition). We found that ion velocity decreased by collision with residual gas molecules (background pressure). We also found that space potential changing with background pressure. In other words, it was indicated that electric field exists and the current-free assumption is not proper. In this study, we add electron continuity and electron momentum equations to obtain electron velocity and space potential. We find that space potential changing with background pressure slightly. It is indicated that electron is essential to space potential formation than ion.

Time-resolved spectroscopy of nonequilibrium ionization in laser-produced plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marjoribanks, R.S.

1988-01-01

The highly transient ionization characteristic of laser-produced plasmas at high energy densities has been investigated experimentally, using x-ray spectroscopy with time resolution of less than 20 ps. Spectroscopic diagnostics of plasma density and temperature were used, including line ratios, line profile broadening and continuum emission, to characterize the plasma conditions without relying immediately on ionization modeling. The experimentally measured plasma parameters were used as independent variables, driving an ionization code, as a test of ionization modeling, divorced from hydrodynamic calculations. Several state-of-the-art streak spectrographs, each recording a fiducial of the laser peak along with the time-resolved spectrum, characterized the laser heating of thin signature layers of different atomic numbers imbedded in plastic targets. A novel design of crystal spectrograph, with a conically curved crystal, was developed. Coupled with a streak camera, it provided high resolution (λ/ΔΛ > 1000) and a collection efficiency roughly 20-50 times that of planar crystal spectrographs, affording improved spectra for quantitative reduction and greater sensitivity for the diagnosis of weak emitters. Experimental results were compared to hydrocode and ionization code simulations, with poor agreement. The conclusions question the appropriateness of describing electron velocity distributions by a temperature parameter during the time of laser illumination and emphasis the importance of characterizing the distribution more generally

Shock velocity in weakly ionized nitrogen, air, and argon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siefert, Nicholas S.

2007-01-01

The goal of this research was to determine the principal mechanism(s) for the shock velocity increase in weakly ionized gases. This paper reports experimental data on the propagation of spark-generated shock waves (1< Mach<3) into weakly ionized nitrogen, air, and argon glow discharges (1 < p<20 Torr). In order to distinguish between effects due solely to the presence of electrons and effects due to heating of the background gas via elastic collisions with electrons, the weakly ionized discharge was pulsed on/off. Laser deflection methods determined the shock velocity, and the electron number density was collected using a microwave hairpin resonator. In the afterglow of nitrogen, air, and argon discharges, the shock velocity first decreased, not at the characteristic time for electrons to diffuse to the walls, but rather at the characteristic time for the centerline gas temperature to equilibrate with the wall temperature. These data support the conclusion that the principal mechanism for the increase in shock velocity in weakly ionized gases is thermal heating of the neutral gas species via elastic collisions with electrons

Dependence of the electron Langmuir wave damping on the angle of propagation in weakly ionized neon plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zigman, V.J.; Milic, B.S.

1995-01-01

The dependence of the attenuation of the longitudinal electron Langmuir waves (ω ∼ ω pe ), in collisional weakly ionized, non-magnetized, uniform and steady-state plasmas placed in external d.c. electric field, on the angle θ between the wave vector and the electron drift rvec u is studied on the ground of the kinetic theory and the linear perturbation technique. The collisionless and collisional contributions to the overall attenuation were evaluated separately, as it was shown previously that in certain instances the elastic e - n encounters (with collision frequency ν en , ν en much-lt ω pe ) may attenuate the Langmuir waves more efficiently than the Landau mechanism. More precisely, it was found that, for any fixed value of E 0 /n n , there exists a critical value of the ratio n n /X above which the collisional attenuation prevails

Transverse MHD shock waves in a partly ionized plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mathers, C.D.

1980-01-01

The structure of transverse MHD shock waves in a partly ionized hydrogen plasma is studied using a three-fluid model with collisional transport coefficients. The morphology of the various sublayers in the shock front is analyzed in detail and it is shown that strong shock waves have a characteristic viscous structure. Weak to moderate strength shock waves display a resistive structure in which the enhanced transverse resistivity due to ion-slip plays a significant role, leading to a pronounced peak in the ion temperature profile. Calculated shock structure profiles are also compared with experimental temperature data. Results in the form of tables and figures are presented for shock waves with fast Mach number ranging from 1-10 in hydrogen plasma with initial degree of ionization ranging from 5-100%. (author)

Plasma production via field ionization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. L. O’Connell

2006-10-01

Full Text Available Plasma production via field ionization occurs when an incoming particle beam is sufficiently dense that the electric field associated with the beam ionizes a neutral vapor or gas. Experiments conducted at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center explore the threshold conditions necessary to induce field ionization by an electron beam in a neutral lithium vapor. By independently varying the transverse beam size, number of electrons per bunch, or bunch length, the radial component of the electric field is controlled to be above or below the threshold for field ionization. Additional experiments ionized neutral xenon and neutral nitric oxide by varying the incoming beam’s bunch length. A self-ionized plasma is an essential step for the viability of plasma-based accelerators for future high-energy experiments.

The influence of (n-n')-mixing processes in He*(n)+He(1s2) collisions on He*(n) atoms' populations in weakly ionized helium plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mihajlov, A.A.; Ignjatovic, Lj.M.; Sreckovic, V.A.; Djuric, Z.

2008-01-01

The results of semi-classical calculations of rate coefficients of (n-n ' )-mixing processes due to collisions of Rydberg atoms He*(n) with He(1s 2 ) atoms are presented. It is assumed that these processes are caused by the resonant energy exchange within the electron component of He*(n)+He collision system. The method is realized through the numerical simulation of the (n-n ' )-mixing processes, and is applied for calculations of the corresponding rate coefficients. The calculations are performed for the principal quantum numbers n,n ' in ranges 4≤n ' ≤10, and the atom and electron temperatures, T a ,T e , in domains 5000K≤T a ≤T e ≤20000K. It is shown that the (n-n ' )-mixing processes can significantly influence the populations of Rydberg atoms in non-equilibrium weakly ionized helium plasmas with ionization degree ∼10 -4 . Therefore, these processes have to be included in the appropriate models of such plasmas

Shock Structure Analysis and Aerodynamics in a Weakly Ionized Gas Flow

Science.gov (United States)

Saeks, R.; Popovic, S.; Chow, A. S.

2006-01-01

The structure of a shock wave propagating through a weakly ionized gas is analyzed using an electrofluid dynamics model composed of classical conservation laws and Gauss Law. A viscosity model is included to correctly model the spatial scale of the shock structure, and quasi-neutrality is not assumed. A detailed analysis of the structure of a shock wave propagating in a weakly ionized gas is presented, together with a discussion of the physics underlying the key features of the shock structure. A model for the flow behind a shock wave propagating through a weakly ionized gas is developed and used to analyze the effect of the ionization on the aerodynamics and performance of a two-dimensional hypersonic lifting body.

Plasma centrifuges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karchevskij, A.I.; Potanin, E.P.

2000-01-01

The review of the most important studies on the isotope separation processes in the rotating plasma is presented. The device is described and the characteristics of operation of the pulse plasma centrifuges with weakly and strongly ionized plasma as well as the stationary plasma centrifuges with the medium weak ionization and devices, applying the stationary vacuum arc with the high ionization rate and the stationary beam-plasma discharge with complete ionization, are presented. The possible mechanisms of the isotope separation in plasma centrifuges are considered. The specific energy consumption for isotope separation in these devices is discussed [ru

Weak Acid Ionization Constants and the Determination of Weak Acid-Weak Base Reaction Equilibrium Constants in the General Chemistry Laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Nyasulu, Frazier; McMills, Lauren; Barlag, Rebecca

2013-01-01

A laboratory to determine the equilibrium constants of weak acid negative weak base reactions is described. The equilibrium constants of component reactions when multiplied together equal the numerical value of the equilibrium constant of the summative reaction. The component reactions are weak acid ionization reactions, weak base hydrolysis…

Charge correlation effects on ionization of weak polyelectrolytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Panagiotopoulos, A Z

2009-01-01

Ionization curves of weak polyelectrolytes were obtained as a function of the charge coupling strength from Monte Carlo simulations. In contrast to many earlier studies, the present work treats counterions explicitly, thus allowing the investigation of charge correlation effects at strong couplings. For conditions representing typical weak polyelectrolytes in water near room temperature, ionization is suppressed because of interactions between nearby dissociated groups, as also seen in prior work. A novel finding here is that, for stronger couplings, relevant for non-aqueous environments in the absence of added salt, the opposite behavior is observed-ionization is enhanced relative to the behavior of the isolated groups due to ion-counterion correlation effects. The fraction of dissociated groups as a function of position along the chain also behaves non-monotonically. Dissociation is highest near the ends of the chains for aqueous polyelectrolytes and highest at the chain middle segments for non-aqueous environments. At intermediate coupling strengths, dissociable groups appear to behave in a nearly ideal fashion, even though chain dimensions still show strong expansion effects due to ionization. These findings provide physical insights on the impact of competition between acid/base chemical equilibrium and electrostatic attractions in ionizable systems.

Scattering characteristics of electromagnetic waves in time and space inhomogeneous weakly ionized dusty plasma sheath

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Li-xin; Chen, Wei; Li, Jiang-ting; Ren, Yi; Liu, Song-hua

2018-05-01

The dielectric coefficient of a weakly ionised dusty plasma is used to establish a three-dimensional time and space inhomogeneous dusty plasma sheath. The effects of scattering on electromagnetic (EM) waves in this dusty plasma sheath are investigated using the auxiliary differential equation finite-difference time-domain method. Backward radar cross-sectional values of various parameters, including the dust particle radius, charging frequency of dust particles, dust particle concentration, effective collision frequency, rate of the electron density variation with time, angle of EM wave incidence, and plasma frequency, are analysed within the time and space inhomogeneous plasma sheath. The results show the noticeable effects of dusty plasma parameters on EM waves.

Weakly ionized plasmas in aerospace applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Semenov, V E; Bondarenko, V G; Gildenburg, V B; Gubchenko, V M; Smirnov, A I

2002-01-01

This paper is an overview of the activity and state-of-the-art in the field of plasma aerospace applications. Both experimental results and theoretical ideas are analysed. Principal attention is focused on understanding the physical mechanisms of the plasma effect on hypersonic aerodynamics. In particular, it is shown that drag reduction can be achieved using a proper distribution of heat sources around a flying body. Estimates of the energetic efficiency of the thermal mechanism of aerodynamic drag reduction are presented. The non-thermal effect caused by the interaction of a plasma flow with a magnetic field is also analysed. Specifically, it is shown that appropriate spatial distribution of volumetric forces around a hypersonic body allows for complete elimination of shock wave generation. It should be noted that in an ideal case, shock waves could be eliminated without energy consumption

Unified solution of the Boltzmann equation for electron and ion velocity distribution functions and transport coefficients in weakly ionized plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Konovalov, Dmitry A.; Cocks, Daniel G.; White, Ronald D.

2017-10-01

The velocity distribution function and transport coefficients for charged particles in weakly ionized plasmas are calculated via a multi-term solution of Boltzmann's equation and benchmarked using a Monte-Carlo simulation. A unified framework for the solution of the original full Boltzmann's equation is presented which is valid for ions and electrons, avoiding any recourse to approximate forms of the collision operator in various limiting mass ratio cases. This direct method using Lebedev quadratures over the velocity and scattering angles avoids the need to represent the ion mass dependence in the collision operator through an expansion in terms of the charged particle to neutral mass ratio. For the two-temperature Burnett function method considered in this study, this amounts to avoiding the need for the complex Talmi-transformation methods and associated mass-ratio expansions. More generally, we highlight the deficiencies in the two-temperature Burnett function method for heavy ions at high electric fields to calculate the ion velocity distribution function, even though the transport coefficients have converged. Contribution to the Topical Issue "Physics of Ionized Gases (SPIG 2016)", edited by Goran Poparic, Bratislav Obradovic, Dragana Maric and Aleksandar Milosavljevic.

Weak ionization of the global ionosphere in solar cycle 24

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. Q. Hao

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Following prolonged and extremely quiet solar activity from 2008 to 2009, the 24th solar cycle started slowly. It has been almost 5 years since then. The measurement of ionospheric critical frequency (foF2 shows the fact that solar activity has been significantly lower in the first half of cycle 24, compared to the average levels of cycles 19 to 23; the data of global average total electron content (TEC confirm that the global ionosphere around the cycle 24 peak is much more weakly ionized, in contrast to cycle 23. The weak ionization has been more notable since the year 2012, when both the ionosphere and solar activity were expected to be approaching their maximum level. The undersupply of solar extreme ultraviolet (EUV irradiance somewhat continues after the 2008–2009 minimum, and is considered to be the main cause of the weak ionization. It further implies that the thermosphere and ionosphere in the first solar cycle of this millennium would probably differ from what we have learned from the previous cycles of the space age.

Suitability of tunneling ionization produced plasmas for the plasma beat wave accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leeman, W.P.; Clayton, C.E.; Marsh, K.A.; Dyson, A.; Joshi, C.

1991-01-01

Tunneling ionization can be thought of as the high intensity, low frequency limit of multi-photon ionization (MPI). Extremely uniform plasmas were produced by the latter process at Rutherford lab for beat wave excitation experiments using a 0.5 μm laser. Plasmas with 100% ionization were produced with densities exceeding 10 17 cm -3 . The experiment uses a CO 2 laser (I max ∼ 5 x 10 14 W/cm 2 ) which allows the formation of plasmas via the tunneling process. For the experiments the authors need plasmas with densities in the range of 5 to 10 x 10 16 cm -3 . Using Thomson scattering as a diagnostic they have explored the density and temperature regime of tunneling ionization produced plasmas. They find that plasmas with densities up to 10 16 cm -3 can indeed be produced and that these plasmas are hot. Beyond this density strong refraction of laser radiation occurs due to the radial profile of the plasma. Implications of this work to the Beat Wave Accelerator program will be discussed

Tunneling Time and Weak Measurement in Strong Field Ionization.

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmermann, Tomáš; Mishra, Siddhartha; Doran, Brent R; Gordon, Daniel F; Landsman, Alexandra S

2016-06-10

Tunneling delays represent a hotly debated topic, with many conflicting definitions and little consensus on when and if such definitions accurately describe the physical observables. Here, we relate these different definitions to distinct experimental observables in strong field ionization, finding that two definitions, Larmor time and Bohmian time, are compatible with the attoclock observable and the resonance lifetime of a bound state, respectively. Both of these definitions are closely connected to the theory of weak measurement, with Larmor time being the weak measurement value of tunneling time and Bohmian trajectory corresponding to the average particle trajectory, which has been recently reconstructed using weak measurement in a two-slit experiment [S. Kocsis, B. Braverman, S. Ravets, M. J. Stevens, R. P. Mirin, L. K. Shalm, and A. M. Steinberg, Science 332, 1170 (2011)]. We demonstrate a big discrepancy in strong field ionization between the Bohmian and weak measurement values of tunneling time, and we suggest this arises because the tunneling time is calculated for a small probability postselected ensemble of electrons. Our results have important implications for the interpretation of experiments in attosecond science, suggesting that tunneling is unlikely to be an instantaneous process.

Convergent-close-coupling calculations for excitation and ionization processes of electron-hydrogen collisions in Debye plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zammit, Mark C.; Fursa, Dmitry V.; Bray, Igor

2010-01-01

Electron-hydrogen scattering in weakly coupled hot-dense plasmas has been investigated using the convergent-close-coupling method. The Yukawa-type Debye-Hueckel potential has been used to describe the plasma screening effects. The target structure, excitation dynamics, and ionization process change dramatically as the screening is increased. Excitation cross sections for the 1s→2s,2p,3s,3p,3d and 2s→2p,3s,3p,3d transitions and total and total ionization cross sections for the scattering from the 1s and 2s states are presented. Calculations cover the energy range from thresholds to high energies (250 eV) for various Debye lengths. We find that as the screening increases, the excitation and total cross sections decrease, while the total ionization cross sections increase.

Screening of ionic cores in partially ionized plasmas within linear response

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gericke, D. O.; Vorberger, J.; Wuensch, K.; Gregori, G.

2010-01-01

We employ a pseudopotential approach to investigate the screening of ionic cores in partially ionized plasmas. Here, the effect of the tightly bound electrons is condensed into an effective potential between the (free) valence electrons and the ionic cores. Even for weak electron-ion coupling, the corresponding screening clouds show strong modifications from the Debye result for elements heavier than helium. Modifications of the theoretically predicted x-ray scattering signal and implications on measurements are discussed.

The influence of (n-n{sup '})-mixing processes in He*(n)+He(1s{sup 2}) collisions on He*(n) atoms' populations in weakly ionized helium plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mihajlov, A.A. [Institute of Physics, P.O. Box 57, 11001 Belgrade (Serbia and Montenegro); Ignjatovic, Lj.M. [Institute of Physics, P.O. Box 57, 11001 Belgrade (Serbia)], E-mail: ljuba@phy.bg.ac.yu; Sreckovic, V.A. [Institute of Physics, P.O. Box 57, 11001 Belgrade (Serbia); Djuric, Z. [Silvaco Data Systems, Compass Point, St Ives PE27 5JL (United Kingdom)

2008-03-15

The results of semi-classical calculations of rate coefficients of (n-n{sup '})-mixing processes due to collisions of Rydberg atoms He*(n) with He(1s{sup 2}) atoms are presented. It is assumed that these processes are caused by the resonant energy exchange within the electron component of He*(n)+He collision system. The method is realized through the numerical simulation of the (n-n{sup '})-mixing processes, and is applied for calculations of the corresponding rate coefficients. The calculations are performed for the principal quantum numbers n,n{sup '} in ranges 4{<=}nweakly ionized helium plasmas with ionization degree {approx}10{sup -4}. Therefore, these processes have to be included in the appropriate models of such plasmas.

Electronegative Plasma Equilibria with Spatially-Varying Ionization

Science.gov (United States)

Lieberman, M. A.; Kawamura, E.; Lichtenberg, A. J.

2012-10-01

Electronegative inductive discharges in higher pressure ranges typically exhibit localized ionization near the coil structure, with decay of the ionization into the central discharge. We use a two-dimensional fluid code [1] with chlorine feedstock to determine the spatial profiles of the plasma parameters in a cylindrical transformer-coupled plasma device excited by a planar coil. To compare with one-dimensional (1D) analytic modeling, the results are area-averaged. The ionization is found to decay roughly exponentially along the axial direction, allowing the ansatz of an exponentially decaying ionization to be used in a 1D computational model. The model captures the main features of the axial variations of the area-averaged fluid simulation, indicating that the main diffusion mechanisms act along the axial direction. A simple analytic global discharge model is developed, accounting for the asymmetric density and ionization profiles. The global model gives the scalings with power and pressure of volume-averaged densities, electron temperature, and ionization decay rate, also in reasonable agreement with the scalings obtained by averaging the simulation results. [4pt] [1] E. Kawamura, D.B. Graves, and M.A. Lieberman, Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 20, 035009 (2012)

Acceleration of electrons and supplementary ionization during parametrical plasma heating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grach, S.M.; Mityakov, N.A.; Trakhtengerts, V.Yu.; AN SSSR, Gor'kij. Inst. Prikladnoj Fiziki)

1986-01-01

Acceleration of electrons by plasma waves in partially ionized plasma is considered with provision for the effects of turbulent scattering and formation of secondary electrons, which are produced in the process of electron shock ionization. It is shown that the avalanche density growth of electrons accelerated up to 1-2 ionization potential (instability) takes place beginning from some critical density of plasma waves. Density of fast electrons is found out along with plasma wave energy density at the stage of instability saturation. Additional concentration of a background plasma, which manifests itself due to ionization, is evaluated

Weakly nonlinear electron plasma waves in collisional plasmas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pecseli, H. L.; Rasmussen, J. Juul; Tagare, S. G.

1986-01-01

The nonlinear evolution of a high frequency plasma wave in a weakly magnetized, collisional plasma is considered. In addition to the ponderomotive-force-nonlinearity the nonlinearity due to the heating of the electrons is taken into account. A set of nonlinear equations including the effect...

Equation of state of partially-ionized dense plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rogers, F.J.

1989-01-01

This paper describes methods for calculating the equation of state of partially-ionized dense plasmas. The term dense plasma is used rather than strongly coupled plasma, since it is possible that at plasma conditions such that only a few levels can be observed spectroscopically the plasma coupling parameters are not large. Due mainly to their importance in theoretical astrophysics, the properties of partially ionized plasmas have been of interest for a long while. More recently, this interest has intensified due to the development of methods for producing partially ionized plasmas in the laboratory. This has opened up large programs of experimental investigation and of practical application. In this paper we consider detailed statistical mechanical methods that explicitly treat the distribution over ionic species and their energy level structure. These detailed approaches are generally characterized as being in the ''chemical picture'' when a free energy expression is minimized or in the ''physical picture'' when the starting point is the grand canonical ensemble. 52 refs., 2 tabs

Heating and ionization in MHD shock waves propagating into partially ionized plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bighel, L.; Collins, A.R.; Cramer, N.F.; Watson-Munro, C.N.

1975-09-01

A model of the structure of MHD switch-on shocks propagating in a partially ionized plasma, in which the primary dissipation mechanism is friction between ions and neutrals, is here compared favourably with experimental results. Four degrees of upstream ionization were studied, ranging from almost complete to very small ionization. (author)

Heating and ionization in MHD shock wave propagating into partially ionized plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bighel, L.; Collins, A.R.; Cramer, N.F.; Watson-Munro, C.N.

1975-09-01

A model of the structure of MHD switch-on shocks propagating in a partially ionized plasma, in which the primary dissipation mechanism is friction between ions and neutrals, is here compared favourably with experimental results. Four degrees of upstream ionization were studied, ranging from almost complete to very small ionization. (author)

Plasma concentration of ionized calcium in healthy iguanas.

Science.gov (United States)

Dennis, P M; Bennett, R A; Harr, K E; Lock, B A

2001-08-01

To measure plasma concentration of ionized calcium in healthy green iguanas. Prospective study. 9 juvenile and 21 (10 male, 11 female) adult iguanas. Blood samples were obtained from each iguana, and plasma calcium, glucose, phosphorus, uric acid, total protein, albumin, globulin, potassium, and ionized calcium concentrations, aspartate transaminase (AST) activity, and pH were measured. Heparinized blood was used for measurement of ionized calcium concentration and blood pH. A CBC was also performed to assess the health of the iguanas. Significant differences were not detected among the 3 groups (juveniles, males, and females) with regard to ionized calcium concentration. Mean ionized calcium concentration measured in blood was 1.47 +/- 0.105 mmol/L. Significant differences were detected between juveniles and adults for values of phosphorus, glucose, total protein, albumin, globulin, and AST activity. Ionized calcium concentration provides a clinical measurement of the physiologically active calcium in circulation. Evaluation of physiologically active calcium in animals with suspected calcium imbalance that have total plasma calcium concentrations within reference range or in gravid animals with considerably increased total plasma calcium concentrations is vital for determining a therapeutic plan. Accurate evaluation of calcium status will provide assistance in the diagnosis of renal disease and seizures and allow for better evaluation of the health status of gravid female iguanas.

Hydrodynamic optical-field-ionized plasma channels

Science.gov (United States)

Shalloo, R. J.; Arran, C.; Corner, L.; Holloway, J.; Jonnerby, J.; Walczak, R.; Milchberg, H. M.; Hooker, S. M.

2018-05-01

We present experiments and numerical simulations which demonstrate that fully ionized, low-density plasma channels could be formed by hydrodynamic expansion of plasma columns produced by optical field ionization. Simulations of the hydrodynamic expansion of plasma columns formed in hydrogen by an axicon lens show the generation of 200 mm long plasma channels with axial densities of order ne(0 ) =1 ×1017cm-3 and lowest-order modes of spot size WM≈40 μ m . These simulations show that the laser energy required to generate the channels is modest: of order 1 mJ per centimeter of channel. The simulations are confirmed by experiments with a spherical lens which show the formation of short plasma channels with 1.5 ×1017cm-3≲ne(0 ) ≲1 ×1018cm-3 and 61 μ m ≳WM≳33 μ m . Low-density plasma channels of this type would appear to be well suited as multi-GeV laser-plasma accelerator stages capable of long-term operation at high pulse repetition rates.

Final Scientific/Technical Report: Correlations and Fluctuations in Weakly Collisional Plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skiff, Frederick [Univ. of Iowa, Iowa City, IA (United States)

2017-11-15

Plasma is a state of matter that exhibits a very rich range of phenomena. To begin with, plasma is both electrical and mechanical - bringing together theories of particle motion and the electromagnetic field. Furthermore, and especially important for this project, a weakly-collisional plasma, such as is found in high-temperature (fusion energy) experiments on earth and the majority of contexts in space and astrophysics, has many moving parts. For example, sitting in earth’s atmosphere we are immersed in a mechanical wave field (sound), a possibly turbulent fluid motion (wind), and an electromagnetic vector wave field with two polarizations (light). This is already enough to produce a rich range of possibilities. In plasma, the electromagnetic field is coupled to the mechanical motion of the medium because it is ionized. Furthermore, a weakly-collisional plasma supports an infinite number of mechanically independent fluids. Thus, plasmas support an infinite number of independent electromechanical waves. Much has been done to describe plasmas with "reduced models" of various kinds. The goal of this project was to both explore the validity of reduced plasma models that are in use, and to propose and validate new models of plasma motion. The primary means to his end was laboratory experiments employing both electrical probes and laser spectroscopy. Laser spectroscopy enables many techniques which can separate the spectrum of independent fluid motions in the ion phase-space. The choice was to focus on low frequency electrostatic waves because the electron motion is relatively simple, the experiments can be on a spatial scale of a few meters, and all the relevant parameters can be measured with a few lasers systems. No study of this kind had previously been undertaken for the study of plasmas. The validation of theories required that the experimental descriptions be compared with theory and simulation in detail. It was found that even multi-fluid theories leave out a

Weak turbulence theory for beam-plasma interaction

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Peter H.

2018-01-01

The kinetic theory of weak plasma turbulence, of which Ronald C. Davidson was an important early pioneer [R. C. Davidson, Methods in Nonlinear Plasma Theory, (Academic Press, New York, 1972)], is a venerable and valid theory that may be applicable to a large number of problems in both laboratory and space plasmas. This paper applies the weak turbulence theory to the problem of gentle beam-plasma interaction and Langmuir turbulence. It is shown that the beam-plasma interaction undergoes various stages of physical processes starting from linear instability, to quasilinear saturation, to mode coupling that takes place after the quasilinear stage, followed by a state of quasi-static "turbulent equilibrium." The long term quasi-equilibrium stage is eventually perturbed by binary collisional effects in order to bring the plasma to a thermodynamic equilibrium with increased entropy.

To the probe theory in a highly-ionized high-pressure plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baksht, F.G.; Rybakov, A.B.

1997-01-01

The probe theory in highly-ionized high-pressure plasma is presented. The situation typical for high-pressure plasma, when the plasma in the main part of the near-probe layer is in the state of local ionization equilibrium with general temperature for electrons and heavy particles. Possibility is discussed for determining the parameters of non-perturbed plasma through analysis of the probe characteristic at place of ion saturation, transition area and by the probe floating potential. The experiments were carried out by example of highly-ionized xenon plasma under atmospheric pressure

Influence of ionizing radiation on the plasma membrane proteins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dreval', V.I.

1992-01-01

The effect of ionizing radiation on the meat cattle thymocytes plasma membranes was studied. Using fluorescence quenching technique the effect of irradiation of proteins conformation was investigated. The influence of ionizing radiation on the plasma membranes was shown to be followed by changes of the protein structure-dynamic organization

Re-ionization of a partially ionized plasma by an Alfven wave of moderate amplitude

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brennan, M.H.; Sawley, M.L.

1980-01-01

The use of forced magnetic-acoustic oscillations to investigate the effect of a torsional hydromagnetic (Alfven) wave pulse of moderate amplitude on the properties of a partially ionized afterglow helium plasma is reported. Observations of the magnetic flux associated with the oscillations, measured at a number of frequencies are used to determine radial density profiles and to provide estimates of plasma temperature. The torsional wave is shown to cause significant re-ionization of the plasma with no corresponding increase in the plasma temperature. The presence of a number of energetic particles is evidenced by the production of a significant number of doubly charged helium ions. (author)

Ionization by a pulsed plasma surface water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bloyet, E.; Leprince, P.; Marec, J.; Llamas Blasco, M.

1981-01-01

The ionization mechanism is studied of a pulsed surface wave generating a microwave discharge. When the plasma is dominated by collisions, it is found that the velocity of the ionization front depends on the ponderomotive force due to the field gradient in the front. (orig.)

Electrostatic perturbations in partially ionized plasma with the effects of ionization and recombination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vranjes, J.; Tanaka, M.Y.; Kono, M.; Poedts, S.

2004-01-01

The behavior of the electrostatic ion acoustic mode in a partially ionized plasma is studied in the presence of collisions which involve processes of ionization and recombination, taking into account the dynamics of the neutrals caused by elastic and inelastic collisions with ions. The application of the model to space plasmas, which are usually subject to gravity, is discussed in detail. A dispersion equation which includes the effects of ionization and recombination is derived and the stability/instability conditions are discussed. Parameters applicable to a region of the upper solar chromosphere are used and the increment of the ion sound wave is calculated yielding an unstable ion sound wave for wavelengths larger than 20 km

Electric properties of weakly nonideal plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guenther, K; Radtke, R

1984-01-01

The progress in theory as well as in diagnostics and measurement during the last fifteen years is reviewed. Starting from the transport theory of ideal plasmas physically justified corrections are introduced which allow the quantitative calculation of the transport properties of weakly nonideal plasmas. Essential coefficients and numerical data of the electrical conductivity for plasmas of technical importance are given in tables and diagrams.

MAGNETOACOUSTIC WAVES IN A PARTIALLY IONIZED TWO-FLUID PLASMA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Soler, Roberto; Ballester, Jose Luis [Departament de Física, Universitat de les Illes Balears, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca (Spain); Carbonell, Marc, E-mail: roberto.soler@uib.es, E-mail: joseluis.ballester@uib.es, E-mail: marc.carbonell@uib.es [Departament de Matemàtiques i Informàtica, Universitat de les Illes Balears, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca (Spain)

2013-11-01

Compressible disturbances propagate in a plasma in the form of magnetoacoustic waves driven by both gas pressure and magnetic forces. In partially ionized plasmas the dynamics of ionized and neutral species are coupled due to ion-neutral collisions. As a consequence, magnetoacoustic waves propagating through a partially ionized medium are affected by ion-neutral coupling. The degree to which the behavior of the classic waves is modified depends on the physical properties of the various species and on the relative value of the wave frequency compared to the ion-neutral collision frequency. Here, we perform a comprehensive theoretical investigation of magnetoacoustic wave propagation in a partially ionized plasma using the two-fluid formalism. We consider an extensive range of values for the collision frequency, ionization ratio, and plasma β, so that the results are applicable to a wide variety of astrophysical plasmas. We determine the modification of the wave frequencies and study the frictional damping due to ion-neutral collisions. Approximate analytic expressions for the frequencies are given in the limit case of strongly coupled ions and neutrals, while numerically obtained dispersion diagrams are provided for arbitrary collision frequencies. In addition, we discuss the presence of cutoffs in the dispersion diagrams that constrain wave propagation for certain combinations of parameters. A specific application to propagation of compressible waves in the solar chromosphere is given.

MAGNETOACOUSTIC WAVES IN A PARTIALLY IONIZED TWO-FLUID PLASMA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soler, Roberto; Ballester, Jose Luis; Carbonell, Marc

2013-01-01

Compressible disturbances propagate in a plasma in the form of magnetoacoustic waves driven by both gas pressure and magnetic forces. In partially ionized plasmas the dynamics of ionized and neutral species are coupled due to ion-neutral collisions. As a consequence, magnetoacoustic waves propagating through a partially ionized medium are affected by ion-neutral coupling. The degree to which the behavior of the classic waves is modified depends on the physical properties of the various species and on the relative value of the wave frequency compared to the ion-neutral collision frequency. Here, we perform a comprehensive theoretical investigation of magnetoacoustic wave propagation in a partially ionized plasma using the two-fluid formalism. We consider an extensive range of values for the collision frequency, ionization ratio, and plasma β, so that the results are applicable to a wide variety of astrophysical plasmas. We determine the modification of the wave frequencies and study the frictional damping due to ion-neutral collisions. Approximate analytic expressions for the frequencies are given in the limit case of strongly coupled ions and neutrals, while numerically obtained dispersion diagrams are provided for arbitrary collision frequencies. In addition, we discuss the presence of cutoffs in the dispersion diagrams that constrain wave propagation for certain combinations of parameters. A specific application to propagation of compressible waves in the solar chromosphere is given

MICROWAVE INTERACTIONS WITH INHOMOGENEOUS PARTIALLY IONIZED PLASMA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kritz, A. H.

1962-11-15

Microwave interactions with inhomogeneous plasmas are often studied by employing a simplified electromagnetic approach, i.e., by representing the effects of the plasma by an effective dielectric coefficient. The problems and approximations associated with this procedure are discussed. The equation describing the microwave field in an inhomogeneous partially ionized plasma is derived, and the method that is applied to obtain the reflected, transmitted, and absorbed intensities in inhomogeneous plasmas is presented. The interactions of microwaves with plasmas having Gaussian electron density profiles are considered. The variation of collision frequency with position is usually neglected. In general, the assumption of constant collision frequency is not justified; e.g., for a highly ionized plasma, the electron density profile determines, in part, the profile of the electron-ion collision frequency. The effect of the variation of the collision frequency profile on the interaction of microwaves with inhomogeneous plasmas is studied in order to obtain an estimate of the degree of error that may result when constant collision frequency is assumed instead of a more realistic collision frequency profile. It is shown that the degree of error is of particular importance when microwave analysis is used as a plasma diagnostic. (auth)

Simulations of Hall reconnection in partially ionized plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Innocenti, Maria Elena; Jiang, Wei; Lapenta, Giovanni

2017-04-01

Magnetic reconnection occurs in the Hall, partially ionized regime in environments as diverse as molecular clouds, protostellar disks and regions of the solar chromosphere. While much is known about Hall reconnection in fully ionized plasmas, Hall reconnection in partially ionized plasmas is, in comparison, still relatively unexplored. This notwithstanding the fact that partial ionization is expected to affect fundamental processes in reconnection such as the transition from the slow, fluid to the fast, kinetic regime, the value of the reconnection rate and the dimensions of the diffusion regions [Malyshkin and Zweibel 2011 , Zweibel et al. 2011]. We present here the first, to our knowledge, fully kinetic simulations of Hall reconnection in partially ionized plasmas. The interaction of electrons and ions with the neutral background is realistically modelled via a Monte Carlo plug-in coded into the semi-implicit, fully kinetic code iPic3D [Markidis 2010]. We simulate a plasma with parameters compatible with the MRX experiments illustrated in Zweibel et al. 2011 and Lawrence et al. 2013, to be able to compare our simulation results with actual experiments. The gas and ion temperature is T=3 eV, the ion to electron temperature ratio is Tr=0.44, ion and electron thermal velocities are calculated accordingly resorting to a reduced mass ratio and a reduced value of the speed of light to reduce the computational costs of the simulations. The initial density of the plasma is set at n= 1.1 1014 cm-3 and is then left free to change during the simulation as a result of gas-plasma interaction. A set of simulations with initial ionisation percentage IP= 0.01, 0.1, 0.2, 0.6 is presented and compared with a reference simulation where no background gas is present (full ionization). In this first set of simulations, we assume to be able to externally control the initial relative densities of gas and plasma. Within this parameter range, the ion but not the electron population is

Optically-ionized plasma recombination x-ray lasers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amendt, P.; Eder, D.C.; Wilks, S.C.; Dunning, M.J.; Keane, C.J.

1991-01-01

Design studies for recombination x-ray lasers based on plasmas ionized by high intensity, short pulse optical lasers are presented. Transient lasing on n = 3 to n = 2 transitions in Lithium-like Neon allows for moderately short wavelengths (≤ 100 angstrom) without requiring ionizing intensities associated with relativistic electron quiver energies. The electron energy distribution following the ionizing pulse affects directly the predicted gains for this resonance transition. Efficiencies of 10 -6 or greater are found for plasma temperatures in the vicinity of 40 eV. Simulation studies of parametric heating phenomena relating to stimulated Raman and Compton scattering are presented. For electron densities less than about 2.5 x 10 20 cm -3 and peak driver intensity of 2 x 10 17 W/cm 2 at 0.25 μm with pulse length of 100 fsec, the amount of electron heating is found to be marginally significant. For Lithium-like Aluminum, the required relativistic ionizing intensity gives excessive electron heating and reduced efficiency, thereby rendering this scheme impractical for generating shorter wavelength lasing (≤ 50 angstrom) in the transient case. Following the transient lasing phase, a slow hydrodynamic expansion into the surrounding cool plasma is accompanied by quasi-static gain on the n = 4 to n = 3 transition in Lithium-like Neon. Parametric heating effects on gain optimization in this regime are also discussed. 18 refs., 6 figs

Ionization-potential depression and dynamical structure factor in dense plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Chengliang; Röpke, Gerd; Kraeft, Wolf-Dietrich; Reinholz, Heidi

2017-07-01

The properties of a bound electron system immersed in a plasma environment are strongly modified by the surrounding plasma. The modification of an essential quantity, the ionization energy, is described by the electronic and ionic self-energies, including dynamical screening within the framework of the quantum statistical theory. Introducing the ionic dynamical structure factor as the indicator for the ionic microfield, we demonstrate that ionic correlations and fluctuations play a critical role in determining the ionization potential depression. This is, in particular, true for mixtures of different ions with large mass and charge asymmetry. The ionization potential depression is calculated for dense aluminum plasmas as well as for a CH plasma and compared to the experimental data and more phenomenological approaches used so far.

A drift-ordered short mean-free path description of a partially ionized magnetized plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simakov, Andrei N

2009-01-01

Neutral particles that are present at the edge of plasma magnetic confinement devices can play an important role in energy and momentum transport, and their effects should be accounted for. This work uses the drift ordering to derive a closed fluid description for a collisional, magnetized, partially ionized plasma. Charge-exchange, ionization and recombination processes are taken into account. It is assumed that electron distribution function is unaffected by atomic processes, so that electron-ion momentum and energy exchange are described by the usual expressions for a fully ionized plasma, and that neutral-neutral collisions are unimportant. The collisional fluid equations derived herein generalize the drift-ordered description of a fully ionized collisional plasma (Catto P J et al 2004 Phys. Plasmas 11 90), agree with the MHD-ordered description of a partially ionized plasma (Helander P et al 1994 Phys. Plasmas 1 3174) in the large-flow limit and can be used to describe both turbulent and collisional behavior of a partially ionized plasma.

IFCC guideline for sampling, measuring and reporting ionized magnesium in plasma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rayana, M.C. Ben; Burnett, R.W.; Covington, A.K.

2008-01-01

Analyzers with ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) for ionized magnesium (iMg) should yield comparable and unbiased results for iMg. This IFCC guideline on sampling, measuring and reporting iMg in plasma provides a prerequisite to achieve this goal [in this document, "plasma" refers to circulating...... plasma and the forms in which it is sampled, namely the plasma phase of anticoagulated whole blood (or "blood"), plasma separated from blood cells, or serum]. The guideline recommends measuring and reporting ionized magnesium as a substance concentration relative to the substance concentration...... of magnesium in primary aqueous calibrants with magnesium, sodium, and calcium chloride of physiological ionic strength. The recommended name is "the concentration of ionized magnesium in plasma". Based on this guideline, results will be approximately 3% higher than the true substance concentration and 4...

Study on electron density and average degree of ionization for the non-ideal argon plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jing Ming; Huang Hua; Zhou Yisu; Wang Caixia

2008-01-01

Electron density and average degree of ionization of the non-ideal argon plasmas under different plasma temperature and density are calculated by using SHM model. It comes to a conclusion that the average degree of ionization is less than 0.5 for the non-ideal argon plasmas at temperature T=2.0eV and plasma density ρ=(0.01-0.5)g·cm -3 , and the average degree of ionization is reduced with the increase of plasma density ρ. This indicates that the non-ideal argon plasma has a very low degree of ionization so that most argon has not been ionized. In addition, the discussion on the ionization decrease with the increase of plasma density ρ is given. (authors)

Source formulation for electron-impact ionization for fluid plasma simulations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Müller, S.H.; Holland, C.; Tynan, G.R.

2009-01-01

The derivation of the correct functional form of source terms in plasma fluid theory is revisited. The relation between the fluid source terms and atomic physics differential cross sections is established for particle-impact ionization. It is shown that the interface between atomic and plasma phy...... electron temperature regimes in a wide variety of basic plasma physics experiments, including the trends across different gases.......The derivation of the correct functional form of source terms in plasma fluid theory is revisited. The relation between the fluid source terms and atomic physics differential cross sections is established for particle-impact ionization. It is shown that the interface between atomic and plasma...... physics is completely described by three scalar functions of the incident particle energy. These are the total cross section and the newly introduced forward momentum and energy functions, which are properties of the differential cross sections only. For electron-impact ionization, the binary...

Determination of composition and physical properties of partially ionized plasmas in the function of temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaporowski, B.

1992-01-01

The investigations of various kinds of partially ionized plasma were conducted for the pressure of 0.1 MPa and in the range of temperature of 298.15 K to 24000 K. The physical properties of various kinds of partially ionized plasma depend mainly of their composition and temperature. The composition of particular kinds of partially ionized plasmas varies also in the function of temperature. Simultaneous going on of physical and chemical processes in plasma is the reason of difficulties in the calculations of plasma's physical properties. The use of the laws of macroscopic thermodynamics for the calculations of physical properties of partially ionized plasma is impossible. There are enough exact methods for measuring of physical properties of partially ionized plasma. For these reasons the theoretical method using the base of statistic physics was used to calculate the composition and physical properties of various kinds of partially ionized plasma. (author) 2 refs., 2 figs

Numerical Study on Blast Wave Propagation Driven by Unsteady Ionization Plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogino, Yousuke; Sawada, Keisuke; Ohnishi, Naofumi

2008-01-01

Understanding the dynamics of laser-produced plasma is essential for increasing the available thrust and energy conversion efficiency from a pulsed laser to a blast wave in a gas-driven laser-propulsion system. The performance of a gas-driven laser-propulsion system depends heavily on the laser-driven blast wave dynamics as well as on the ionizing and/or recombining plasma state that sustains the blast wave. In this study, we therefore develop a numerical simulation code for a laser-driven blast wave coupled with time-dependent rate equations to explore the formation of unsteady ionizing plasma produced by laser irradiation. We will also examine the various properties of blast waves and unsteady ionizing plasma for different laser input energies

Modulation of ionization in the plasma column of an optical discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nastoyashchii, A.F.

1981-01-01

Stability of the ionization in the plasma column of an optical discharge is discussed. It is shown that a plasma filament formed by a long laser spike under optical discharge conditions may break up into a chain of bright luminous layers oriented in the direction of propagation of a laser beam and characterized by a higher gas ionization (''optical striations''). A nonlinear formulation of the problem is used to find the depth of modulation of the gas ionization

Electric field measurements in moving ionization fronts during plasma breakdown

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wagenaars, E.; Bowden, M.D.; Kroesen, G.M.W.

2006-01-01

We have performed time-resolved, direct measurements of electric field strengths in moving ionization fronts during the breakdown phase of a pulsed plasma. Plasma breakdown, or plasma ignition, is a highly transient process marking the transition from a gas to a plasma. Some aspects of plasma

Kinetic theory of weakly ionized dilute gas of hydrogen-like atoms of the first principles of quantum statistics and dispersion laws of eigenwaves

Science.gov (United States)

Slyusarenko, Yurii V.; Sliusarenko, Oleksii Yu.

2017-11-01

We develop a microscopic approach to the construction of the kinetic theory of dilute weakly ionized gas of hydrogen-like atoms. The approach is based on the statements of the second quantization method in the presence of bound states of particles. The basis of the derivation of kinetic equations is the method of reduced description of relaxation processes. Within the framework of the proposed approach, a system of common kinetic equations for the Wigner distribution functions of free oppositely charged fermions of two kinds (electrons and cores) and their bound states—hydrogen-like atoms— is obtained. Kinetic equations are used to study the spectra of elementary excitations in the system when all its components are non-degenerate. It is shown that in such a system, in addition to the typical plasma waves, there are longitudinal waves of matter polarization and the transverse ones with a behavior characteristic of plasmon polaritons. The expressions for the dependence of the frequencies and Landau damping coefficients on the wave vector for all branches of the oscillations discovered are obtained. Numerical evaluation of the elementary perturbation parameters in the system on an example of a weakly ionized dilute gas of the 23Na atoms using the D2-line characteristics of the natrium atom is given. We note the possibility of using the results of the developed theory to describe the properties of a Bose condensate of photons in the diluted weakly ionized gas of hydrogen-like atoms.

Energy balance in turbulent weakly ionized ionospheric plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dyatko, N.A.; Mishin, E.V.; Telegin, V.A.

1994-01-01

On the base of numerical solution of the Boltzmann equation are determined the electron distribution function and energy balance in the case if the longitudinal current exceeds the critical one and the resistance becames anomalously high one. In the equation are accounted for both electron scattering by plasma density fluctuations and electron elastic and inelastic collisions with atoms and molecules and electron-electron collisions

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.

Weakly Collisional and Collisionless Astrophysical Plasmas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Berlok, Thomas

are used to study weakly collisional, stratified atmospheres which offer a useful model of the intracluster medium of galaxy clusters. Using linear theory and computer simulations, we study instabilities that feed off thermal and compositional gradients. We find that these instabilities lead to vigorous...... investigate helium mixing in the weakly collisional intracluster medium of galaxy clusters using Braginskii MHD. Secondly, we present a newly developed Vlasov-fluid code which can be used for studying fully collisionless plasmas such as the solar wind and hot accretions flows. The equations of Braginskii MHD...... associated with the ions and is thus well suited for studying collisionless plasmas. We have developed a new 2D-3V Vlasov-fluid code which works by evolving the phase-space density distribution of the ions while treating the electrons as an inertialess fluid. The code uses the particle-incell (PIC) method...

Spectral line profiles in weakly turbulent plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Capes, H.; Voslamber, D.

1976-07-01

The unified theory of line broadening by electron perturbers is generalized to include the case of a weakly turbulent plasma. The collision operator in the line shape expression is shown to be the sum of two terms, both containing effects arising from the non-equilibrium nature of the plasma. One of the two terms represents the influence of individual atom-particle interactions occuring via the nonequilibrium dielectric plasma medium. The other term is due to the interaction of the atom with the turbulent waves. Both terms contain damping and diffusion effects arising from the plasma turbulence

Study on the Properties of Ionized Metal Plasma Methodology on Titanium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leow, M. T.; Hassan, Z.; Lee, K. E.; Omar, G.; Lim, S. P.; Chan, C. F.; Siew, E. T.; Chuah, Z. M.

2010-01-01

Ionized Metal Plasma (IMP) deposition was used in depositing metal interconnection of titanium metal film. Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) was attached to chamber wall where it creates an electromagnetic field, thus, ionizing the sputtered metal atoms from target. The film morphology was observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Acoustic measurement of titanium film thickness showed that there was a comparable result with film resistance measured by 4-point probe. Results show that higher plasma density would cause tensile properties on the film stress.

A partially ionized plasma modeling; Un modele de plasma partiellement ionise

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Le Thanh, K.C.; Raviart, P.A

2003-07-01

We propose a model for the partially ionized plasma sheaths near the anode of an anodic spot electric arc where the cathode is considered as an electron emitter. A fluid description takes into account the heating and the ionization of the plasma induced by the electron beam. As physical hypothesis we assume that the condition of charge neutrality is valid. According that the electron mass can be neglected compared to the ion mass, we can assume that ions and atoms have the same velocity and the same temperature. Electrons and heavy particles are then regarded as two separate fluids coexisting in the plasma. Governing equations are then multi-fluid equations with relaxation correction to the local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) and heating by Joule effect. Equations are solved by an operator splitting procedure. That is we first discretize the homogeneous conservation laws (i.e. without source terms) by a finite volume method. The second step is to solve the ordinary differential system (i.e, governing equation without transport terms) with an implicit scheme. (authors)

Controllable surfaces of path interference in the multiphoton ionization of atoms by a weak trichromatic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mercouris, Theodoros; Nicolaides, Cleanthes A

2005-01-01

Multiphoton detachment rates for the H - 1 S ground state irradiated by a weak trichromatic ac field consisting of the fundamental frequency ω 0.272 eV and its second, third or fourth higher harmonics were computed from first principles. The weak intensities are in the range of 10 7 -10 8 W cm -2 . The calculations incorporated systematically electronic structure and electron correlation effects. They were done by implementing a time-independent, nonperturbative many-electron, many-photon theory (MEMPT) which obtains cycle-averaged complex eigenvalues, whose real part gives the field-induced energy shift, Δ, and the imaginary part is the multiphoton ionization rate, Γ. Through analysis, plausible arguments and computation, we show that when the intensities are weak the dependence of Γ on phase differences is simple. Specifically, Γs are depicted in the form of plane surfaces, with minor ripples due to higher order ionization paths, in terms of trigonometric functions of the phase differences. This dependence is likely to be applicable to other atomic systems as well, and to provide a definition of the weak field regime in the trichromatic case. When the field intensities are such that higher order ionization paths become important, these dependences break down and we reach the strong field regime

Hydrogenic ionization model for mixtures in non-LTE plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Djaoui, A.

1999-01-01

The Hydrogenic Ionization Model for Mixtures (HIMM) is a non-Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium (non-LTE), time-dependent ionization model for laser-produced plasmas containing mixtures of elements (species). In this version, both collisional and radiative rates are taken into account. An ionization distribution for each species which is consistent with the ambient electron density is obtained by use of an iterative procedure in a single calculation for all species. Energy levels for each shell having a given principal quantum number and for each ion stage of each species in the mixture are calculated using screening constants. Steady-state non-LTE as well as LTE solutions are also provided. The non-LTE rate equations converge to the LTE solution at sufficiently high densities or as the radiation temperature approaches the electron temperature. The model is particularly useful at low temperatures where convergence problems are usually encountered in our previous models. We apply our model to typical situation in x-ray laser research, laser-produced plasmas and inertial confinement fusion. Our results compare well with previously published results for a selenium plasma. (author)

Ionization of anisothermal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dennery, F.M.

1994-01-01

During this last mid-century, only the temperature of electrons has been involved in the Saha's mass action law, whatever be the other ionic and neutral ones in any isothermal or anisothermal plasma. In order to set aside this underlying paradox in the case of argon ionization, it is necessary to improve this equation of partial equilibrium after having defined: - the basic Gibbs-Duhem's relations for such a polythermal mixture, - the inhomogeneous equilibrium issued from chemical reactions according to Le Chatelier's principle. (author). 3 refs

Does the schock wave in a highly ionized non-isothermal plasma really exist ?

OpenAIRE

Rukhadze, A. A.; Sadykova, S.; Samkharadze, T.

2015-01-01

Here, we study the structure of a highly ionizing shock wave in a gas of high atmospheric pressure. We take into account the gas ionization when the gas temperature reaches few orders above ionization potential. It is shown that after gasdynamic temperature-raising shock and formation of a highly-ionized nonisothermal collisionless plasma Te≫Ti , only the solitary ion-sound wave (soliton) can propagate in this plasma. In such a wave, the charge separation occurs: electrons and ions form the d...

Ionization processes in the Fe 27 region of hot iron plasma in the field of hard gamma radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Illarionov, A.F.

1989-01-01

A highly ionized hot plasma of an iron 26 56 Fe-type heavy element in the field of hard ionizing gamma-ray radiation is considered. The processes of ionization and recombination are discussed for a plasma consisting of the fully ionized Fe 27 and the hydrogen-like Fe 26 ions of iron in the case of large optical depth of the plasma with respect to the photoionization by gamma-ray quanta. The self-ionization process of a hot plasma with the temperature kT ≅ I (I being the ionization potential), due to the production of the own ionizing gamma-ray quanta, by the free-free (ff) and recombination (fb) radiation mechanisms, is investigated. It is noted that in the stationary situation the process of self-ionization of a hot plasma imposes the restriction upon the plasma temperature, kT<1.5 I. It is shown that the ionization of heavy-ion plasma by the impact of thermal electrons is dominating over the processes of ff- and fb-selfionization of plasma only by the large concentration of hydrogen-like iron at the periphery of the region of fully ionized iron Fe 27

X-ray laser studies using plasmas created by optical field ionization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krushelnick, K.M.; Tighe, W.; Suckewer, S.

1995-01-01

X-ray laser experiments involving the creation of fast recombining plasmas by optical field ionization of preformed targets were conducted. A nonlinear increase in the intensity of the 13.5nm Lyman-α line in Li III with the length of the target plasma was observed but only for distances less than the laser confocal parameter and for low plasma electron temperatures. Multiphoton pumping of resonant atomic transitions was also examined and the process of multiphoton ionization of FIII was found to be more probable than multiphoton excitation

Theory of tunneling ionization of molecules: Weak-field asymptotics including dipole effects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tolstikhin, Oleg I.; Morishita, Toru; Madsen, Lars Bojer

2011-01-01

The formulation of the parabolic adiabatic expansion approach to the problem of ionization of atomic systems in a static electric field, originally developed for the axially symmetric case [ Phys. Rev. A 82 023416 (2010)], is generalized to arbitrary potentials. This approach is used to rederive...... the asymptotic theory of tunneling ionization in the weak-field limit. In the atomic case, the resulting formulas for the ionization rate coincide with previously known results. In addition, the present theory accounts for the possible existence of a permanent dipole moment of the unperturbed system and, hence......, applies to polar molecules. Accounting for dipole effects constitutes an important difference of the present theory from the so-called molecular Ammosov-Delone-Krainov theory. The theory is illustrated by comparing exact and asymptotic results for a set of model polar molecules and a realistic molecular...

On the ionization and burnout processes of a magnetically confined plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lehnert, B.

1977-10-01

The particle and heat balance during plasma start-up are investigates, to specify the conditions for reaching various ion density ranges and high plasma temperatures in cases of a limited heating power. Particular attention is paid to the permeable-impermeable transition regime of plasmas being subject to Ohmic heating and confined in closed or open bottles with a main poloidal field. The ionization and burnout conditions are found to depend critically on the confinement and the filling density. They become optimal in closed bottles under symmetric and stable conditions, where the transition into a fully ionized state should be reached even at moderately large ionization rates, burnout powers and currents. Start-up methods based on constant as well as on variable filling densities are discussed as means of ion density control.(author)

Particle-in-cell Simulations of Raman Laser Amplification in Ionizing Plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clark, Daniel S.; Fisch, Nathaniel J.

2003-01-01

By using the amplifying laser pulse in a plasma-based backward Raman laser amplifier to generate the plasma by photo-ionization of a gas simultaneous with the amplification process, possible instabilities of the pumping laser pulse can be avoided. Particle-in-cell simulations are used to study this amplification mechanism, and earlier results using more elementary models of the Raman interaction are verified [D.S. Clark and N.J. Fisch, Phys. Plasmas, 9 (6): 2772-2780, 2002]. The effects (unique to amplification in ionizing plasmas and not included in previous simulations) of blue-shifting of the pump and seed laser pulses and the generation of a wake are observed not significantly to impact the amplification process. As expected theoretically, the peak output intensity is found to be limited to I ∼ 10 17 W/cm 2 by forward Raman scattering of the amplifying seed. The integrity of the ionization front of the seed pulse against the development of a possible transverse modulation instability is also demonstrated

Updated Collisional Ionization Equilibrium Calculated for Optically Thin Plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Savin, Daniel Wolf; Bryans, P.; Badnell, N. R.; Gorczyca, T. W.; Laming, J. M.; Mitthumsiri, W.

2010-03-01

Reliably interpreting spectra from electron-ionized cosmic plasmas requires accurate ionization balance calculations for the plasma in question. However, much of the atomic data needed for these calculations have not been generated using modern theoretical methods and their reliability are often highly suspect. We have carried out state-of-the-art calculations of dielectronic recombination (DR) rate coefficients for the hydrogenic through Na-like ions of all elements from He to Zn as well as for Al-like to Ar-like ions of Fe. We have also carried out state-of-the-art radiative recombination (RR) rate coefficient calculations for the bare through Na-like ions of all elements from H to Zn. Using our data and the recommended electron impact ionization data of Dere (2007), we present improved collisional ionization equilibrium calculations (Bryans et al. 2006, 2009). We compare our calculated fractional ionic abundances using these data with those presented by Mazzotta et al. (1998) for all elements from H to Ni. This work is supported in part by the NASA APRA and SHP SR&T programs.

The requirements for low-temperature plasma ionization support miniaturization of the ion source.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiontke, Andreas; Holzer, Frank; Belder, Detlev; Birkemeyer, Claudia

2018-06-01

Ambient ionization mass spectrometry (AI-MS), the ionization of samples under ambient conditions, enables fast and simple analysis of samples without or with little sample preparation. Due to their simple construction and low resource consumption, plasma-based ionization methods in particular are considered ideal for use in mobile analytical devices. However, systematic investigations that have attempted to identify the optimal configuration of a plasma source to achieve the sensitive detection of target molecules are still rare. We therefore used a low-temperature plasma ionization (LTPI) source based on dielectric barrier discharge with helium employed as the process gas to identify the factors that most strongly influence the signal intensity in the mass spectrometry of species formed by plasma ionization. In this study, we investigated several construction-related parameters of the plasma source and found that a low wall thickness of the dielectric, a small outlet spacing, and a short distance between the plasma source and the MS inlet are needed to achieve optimal signal intensity with a process-gas flow rate of as little as 10 mL/min. In conclusion, this type of ion source is especially well suited for downscaling, which is usually required in mobile devices. Our results provide valuable insights into the LTPI mechanism; they reveal the potential to further improve its implementation and standardization for mobile mass spectrometry as well as our understanding of the requirements and selectivity of this technique. Graphical abstract Optimized parameters of a dielectric barrier discharge plasma for ionization in mass spectrometry. The electrode size, shape, and arrangement, the thickness of the dielectric, and distances between the plasma source, sample, and MS inlet are marked in red. The process gas (helium) flow is shown in black.

Simulation of ionization effects for high-density positron drivers in future plasma wakefield experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruhwiler, D.L.; Dimitrov, D.A.; Cary, J.R.; Esarey, E.; Leemans, W.P.

2003-01-01

The plasma wakefield accelerator (PWFA) concept has been proposed as a potential energy doubler for present or future electron-positron colliders. Recent particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations have shown that the self-fields of the required electron beam driver can tunnel ionize neutral Li, leading to plasma wake dynamics differing significantly from that of a preionized plasma. It has also been shown, for the case of a preionized plasma, that the plasma wake of a positron driver differs strongly from that of an electron driver. We will present new PIC simulations, using the OOPIC code, showing the effects of tunneling ionization on the plasma wake generated by high-density positron drivers. The results will be compared to previous work on electron drivers with tunneling ionization and positron drivers without ionization. Parameters relevant to the energy doubler and the upcoming E-164x experiment at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center will be considered

One- and two-photon ionization of hydrogen atom embedded in Debye plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, T. N.; Fang, T. K.; Ho, Y. K.

2013-01-01

We present a detailed analysis of the plasma-induced resonance-like atomic structures near the ionization threshold in one- and two-photon ionization of hydrogen atom. Such resonance-like structures result from the migration of the upper bound excited states of bound-bound atomic transitions into the continuum due to the less attractive screened Coulomb potential which simulates the external environmental effect for an atom embedded in Debye plasma. The change from the resonance-like narrow structures into broad continuous spectra as the plasma effect increases could be accounted for by the overlap between the respective wavefunctions of the atomic electron in the initial state and its corresponding outgoing ionized state in the continuum

Four-wave mixing and phase conjugation in plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Federici, J.F.

1989-01-01

Nonlinear optical effects such as Stimulated Brillouin Scattering, Stimulated Raman Scattering, self-focusing, wave-mixing, parametric mixing, etc., have a long history in plasma physics. Recently, four-wave mixing in plasmas and its applications to phase conjugation has been extensively studied. Although four-wave mixing (FWM), using various nonlinear mediums, has many practical applications in the visible regime, no successful attempt has been made to study or demonstrate FWM for wavelengths longer than 10μm. Plasmas as phase conjugate mirrors have received considerable attention since they become more efficient at longer wavelengths (far-infrared to microwave). The purpose of this thesis is to study various fundamental issues which concern the suitability of plasmas for four-wave mixing and phase conjugation. The major contributions of this thesis are the identification and study of thermal and ionization nonlinearities as potential four-wave mixing and phase conjugation mechanisms and the study of the affect of density inhomogeneities on the FWM process. Using a fluid description for the plasma, this thesis demonstrates that collisional heating generates a thermal force which substantially enhances the phase conjugate reflectivity. The prospect of using a novel ionization nonlinearity in weakly ionized plasmas for wave-mixing and phase conjugation is discussed. The ionization nonlinearity arises from localized heating of the plasma by the beat-wave. Wherever, the local temperature is increased, a plasma density grating is produced due to increased electron-impact ionization. Numerical estimates of the phase conjugate reflectivity indicate reflectivities in the range of 10 -4 -10 -3 are possible in a weakly ionized steady-state gas discharge plasma

On the effect of electron's runaway in partially ionized hydrogen semiclassical nonideal plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turekhanova, K.M.

2011-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. The effect of runaway electrons occurs frequently in tokamak plasmas. The majority of experiments in tokamak research have been devoted to the study of confinement properties of runaway electrons. Runaway electrons are reason of various destroying untolarance in tokamak plasmas. At high plasma density, when the critical energy is comparable with the rest energy the multiplication of runaway electrons accelerate at the sacrifice of increase of plasma density. The plasma conductivity is determined by electrons with energy several times higher than the thermal one and does not practically depend on slower electrons distribution. It is important to analyze the probability of runaway electrons at investigation of physical properties of nonideal plasmas under external electric field and running numerical simulations of their. The present paper is devoted to the investigation of effect of runaway electrons in partially ionized hydrogen dense plasma using the effective potentials of particle's interaction. At the investigation of composition of plasma we used the Saha equation with corrections to nonideality (lowering of ionization potentials). The Saha equation was solved for obtaining of plasma ionization stages at the different number density and temperature. As well, when take into account quantum-mechanical diffraction and screening effects, whereas free path of electrons increases with increase of plasma coupling parameter. The condition for appearance of runaway electrons in semiclassical partially ionized plasma is more favorable in regime of dense plasma. In summary it means that the probability of runaway electron in dense plasma is more than the same in rarified plasma that is possibly connected with formation of some ordered structures in dense plasma.

Estimate of electrical potential difference between plasmas with different degrees of ionization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chang, Chong [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2017-01-12

The electrical potential difference has been estimated across the mixing region of two plasmas with different degrees of ionization. The estimation has been carried out in two different contexts of a charge neutral mixing region and a charge non-neutral sheath. Ion energy gained due to the potential difference has also been estimated. In both analyses, ion energy gain is proportional to the degree of ionization, and a fairly large ionization appears to be needed for overcoming the potential energy barrier of strongly coupled plasmas.

Line intensity ratios of helium atom in an ionizing plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sasaki, Satoshi; Goto, Motoshi; Kato, Takako; Takamura, Shuichi

1998-10-01

Effective emission rate coefficients C em eff (λ), line intensity ratios, C em eff (λ 1 )/C em eff (λ 2 ), and S eff /C em eff (λ), with S eff the ionization rate coefficient, are obtained by the collisional radiative model for an ionizing plasma using new excitation and ionization rate coefficients. In the plasma with electron density n e > 10 4 cm -3 , C em eff (λ) for various lines are enlarged, since the normalized population densities for the metastable states, n(2 1,3 S)/n He , becomes large, and the excitation rate coefficients from 2 1,3 S, C 21,3S→i , are large compared to that from the ground state C 11S→i . In high n e plasma (n e > 10 12 cm -3 ), with frequent electron impacts on the excited heliums, n(i)/n He become constant to n e , which results in the decrease of C em eff (λ). Hot electrons and resonance scattering, which are often important for the experimental applications, are included in this model. A small amount of hot electrons (several percents) can enhance the line emission and ionization rates for low electron temperature plasma with T e (T e 1 S - n 1 P) and enlarges n 1 P and 2 1 S populations when the column density of helium gas n He x L exceeds 2x10 13 [cm -2 ]. (author)

Characteristics of plasma plume in fiber laser welding of aluminum alloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gao, Ming; Chen, Cong; Hu, Ming; Guo, Lianbo; Wang, Zemin, E-mail: zmwang@mail.hust.edu.cn; Zeng, Xiaoyan

2015-01-30

Highlights: • Spectroscopic properties of fiber laser induced Al plasma plume are measured. • The plume is usually a metal vapor dominated weakly ionized plasma. • The plume is a strongly ionized plasma after laser power is higher than 5 kW. • Plasma shielding effect must be considered after laser power reaches 5 kW. • Plasma shielding effect is dominated by inverse bremsstrahlung absorption. - Abstract: To understand the laser–matter interaction in fiber laser welding of aluminum alloys, the effects of laser power on the characteristics of fiber laser induced plasma plume were studied by emission spectroscopic analysis firstly. The plasma characteristic parameters including electron temperature, electron density, ionization degree, and inverse bremsstrahlung linear absorption coefficient were computed according to the spectral data. It was found that the laser power of 5 kW is a turning point. After the laser power reaches 5 kW, the plume changes from a metal vapor dominated weakly ionized plasma to a strongly ionized plasma. The corresponding phenomena are the dramatic increase of the value of characteristic parameters and the appearance of strong plasma shielding effect. The calculation of effective laser power density demonstrated that the plasma shielding effect is dominated by inverse bremsstrahlung absorption. The finding suggested the plasma shielding effect must be considered in fiber laser welding of aluminum alloys, rather than is ignored as claimed in previous view.

The ionization length in plasmas with finite temperature ion sources

Science.gov (United States)

Jelić, N.; Kos, L.; Tskhakaya, D. D.; Duhovnik, J.

2009-12-01

The ionization length is an important quantity which up to now has been precisely determined only in plasmas which assume that the ions are born at rest, i.e., in discharges known as "cold ion-source" plasmas. Presented here are the results of our calculations of the ionization lengths in plasmas with an arbitrary ion source temperature. Harrison and Thompson (H&T) [Proc. Phys. Soc. 74, 145 (1959)] found the values of this quantity for the cases of several ion strength potential profiles in the well-known Tonks-Langmuir [Phys. Rev. 34, 876 (1929)] discharge, which is characterized by "cold" ion temperature. This scenario is also known as the "singular" ion-source discharge. The H&T analytic result covers cases of ion sources proportional to exp(βΦ) with Φ the normalized plasma potential and β =0,1,2 values, which correspond to particular physical scenarios. Many years following H&T's work, Bissell and Johnson (B&J) [Phys. Fluids 30, 779 (1987)] developed a model with the so-called "warm" ion-source temperature, i.e., "regular" ion source, under B&J's particular assumption that the ionization strength is proportional to the local electron density. However, it appears that B&J were not interested in determining the ionization length at all. The importance of this quantity to theoretical modeling was recognized by Riemann, who recently answered all the questions of the most advanced up-to-date plasma-sheath boundary theory with cold ions [K.-U. Riemann, Phys. Plasmas 13, 063508 (2006)] but still without the stiff warm ion-source case solution, which is highly resistant to solution via any available analytic method. The present article is an extension of H&T's results obtained for a single point only with ion source temperature Tn=0 to arbitrary finite ion source temperatures. The approach applied in this work is based on the method recently developed by Kos et al. [Phys. Plasmas 16, 093503 (2009)].

Parametric decay instabilities in an infinite, homogeneous, weakly anisotropic plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grandal, B.

1976-01-01

The parametric decay of a transverse electromagnetic (em) wave with a frequency close to, but larger than, the electron plasma frequency is investigated for an infinite, homogeneous, weakly magnetoactive plasma. A two-component fluid description is employed, and the damping of the linear plasma waves is introduced phenomenologically to include both Landau and collisional damping. The transverse em wave will decay into a longitudinal electron plasma wave and an em ion-acoustic wave. Only the latter wave is assumed to be affected by the weak, constant magnetic field. The threshold expression for growth of electron plasma waves is equal to that of the isotropic plasma when the em ion-acoustic wave's direction of propagation lies inside a wide double cone, whose axis is along the constant magnetic field. When the em ion-acoustic wave propagates outside this double cone, an additional factor, which depends directly upon the magnetic field, appears in the threshold expression. This factor can, under certain conditions, reduce the threshold for growth of electron plasma waves below that of the isotropic plasma

An analytical excitation for an ionizing plasma

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mullen, van der J.J.A.M.; Sijde, van der B.; Schram, D.C.

1983-01-01

From an analytical model for the population of high-lying excited levels in ionizing plasmas it appears that the distribution is a superposition of the equilibrium (Saha) value and an overpopulation. This overpopulation takes the form of a Maxwell distribution for free electrons. Experiments for He

Turbulence effect on Ohm's law in partially ionized plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Numano, M.

1977-01-01

An investigation of the effect of nonuniformity on electric current flow in partially ionized plasmas is made. An Ohm's law for a nonuniform plasma was derived, from which Rosa's equation is obtained as a special case. Making use of this new Ohm's law, the effective electrical conductivity and Hall coefficient are determined for isotropically turbulent plasmas. They are found to be in good agreement with the results obtained previously. (author)

Weak-field asymptotic theory of tunneling ionization: benchmark analytical results for two-electron atoms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trinh, Vinh H; Morishita, Toru; Tolstikhin, Oleg I

2015-01-01

The recently developed many-electron weak-field asymptotic theory of tunneling ionization of atoms and molecules in an external static electric field (Tolstikhin et al 2014, Phys. Rev. A 89, 013421) is extended to the first-order terms in the asymptotic expansion in field. To highlight the results, here we present a simple analytical formula giving the rate of tunneling ionization of two-electron atoms H − and He. Comparison with fully-correlated ab initio calculations available for these systems shows that the first-order theory works quantitatively in a wide range of fields up to the onset of over-the-barrier ionization and hence is expected to find numerous applications in strong-field physics. (fast track communication)

Downstream plasma transport and metal ionization in a high-powered pulsed-plasma magnetron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meng, Liang; Szott, Matthew M.; McLain, Jake T.; Ruzic, David N.; Yu, He

2014-01-01

Downstream plasma transport and ionization processes in a high-powered pulsed-plasma magnetron were studied. The temporal evolution and spatial distribution of electron density (n e ) and temperature (T e ) were characterized with a 3D scanning triple Langmuir probe. Plasma expanded from the racetrack region into the downstream region, where a high n e peak was formed some time into the pulse-off period. The expansion speed and directionality towards the substrate increased with a stronger magnetic field (B), largely as a consequence of a larger potential drop in the bulk plasma region during a relatively slower sheath formation. The fraction of Cu ions in the deposition flux was measured on the substrate using a gridded energy analyzer. It increased with higher pulse voltage. With increased B field from 200 to 800 Gauss above racetrack, n e increased but the Cu ion fraction decreased from 42% to 16%. A comprehensive model was built, including the diffusion of as-sputtered Cu flux, the Cu ionization in the entire plasma region using the mapped n e and T e data, and ion extraction efficiency based on the measured plasma potential (V p ) distribution. The calculations matched the measurements and indicated the main causes of lower Cu ion fractions in stronger B fields to be the lower T e and inefficient ion extraction in a larger pre-sheath potential.

Self-focusing and guiding of short laser pulses in ionizing gases and plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Esarey, E.; Sprangle, P.; Krall, J.; Ting, A.

1997-01-01

The propagation of intense laser pulses in gases and plasmas is relevant to a wide range of applications, including laser-driven accelerators, laser-plasma channeling, harmonic generation, supercontinuum generation, X-ray lasers, and laser-fusion schemes. Here, several features of intense, short-pulse (≤1 ps) laser propagation in gases undergoing ionization and in plasmas are reviewed, discussed, and analyzed. The wave equations for laser pulse propagation in a gas undergoing ionization and in a plasma are derived. The source-dependent expansion method is discussed, which is a general method for solving the paraxial wave equation with nonlinear source terms. In gases, the propagation of high-power (near the critical power) laser pulses is considered including the effects of diffraction, nonlinear self-focusing, ionization, and plasma generation. Self-guided solutions and the stability of these solutions are discussed. In plasmas, optical guiding by relativistic effects, ponderomotive effects, and preformed density channels is considered. The self-consistent plasma response is discussed, including plasma wave effects and instabilities such as self-modulation. Recent experiments on the guiding of laser pulses in gases and in plasmas are briefly summarized

The effects of thermal motion of neutrals on the non-potential instabilities in a weakly sodium plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zigman, V.J.; Milic, B.S.

1982-01-01

The results of recent experimental measurements of the differential cross-section for elastic scattering of electrons on sodium atoms are used to evaluate the electron steady-state distribution function in a weakly ionized, uniform and non-magnetized sodium plasma placed in a d.c. electric field. The field is assumed to be of moderate intensity, so that the thermal motion of the neutrals has to be taken into account in the evaluation of the distribution function. The resulting 'modified Druyvesteinian function' is applied to study the non-potential instabilities arising from the presence of the field in this particular plasma. Threshold drifts for both very slow and slow modes are obtained and the conditions for the onset of instabilities are discussed. It is shown that the thermal motion of the neutrals affects both critical drifts and the angles of propagation. (author)

Solitons and Weakly Nonlinear Waves in Plasmas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pécseli, Hans

1985-01-01

Theoretical descriptions of solitons and weakly nonlinear waves propagating in plasma media are reviewed, with particular attention to the Korteweg-de Vries (KDV) equation and the Nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLS). The modifications of these basic equations due to the effects of resonant...

Voltage tensor for a plasma in high frequency electromagnetic and constant electric fields in the presence of collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vigdorchik, N.E.

1978-01-01

The voltage tensor expression is obtained for plasma placed in a HF electromagnetic and constant electric fields. The kinetic equations with allowance for collisions are initial. Weakly ionized and completely ionized plasmas are considered. The voltage tensor for completely ionized plasma differs essentially from that for transparent media

Microparticle charging in dry air plasma created by an external ionization source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Derbenev, I N; Filippov, A V

2015-01-01

In the present paper the dust particle charging is studied in a dry air plasma created by an external ionization source. The ionization rate is changed in the range 10 1 -10 20 cm -3 s -1 . It is found that the main positive ion of the plasma is O + 4 and the main negative ones are O − 2 and O − 4 . The point sink model based on the diffusion-drift approach shows that the screening potential distribution around a dust particle is a superposition of four Debye-like exponentials with four different spatial scales. The first scale almost coincides with the Debye radius. The second one is the distance, passed by positive and negative plasma components due to ambipolar diffusion in their recombination time. The third one is defined by the negative ion conversion and diffusion. The fourth scale is described by the electron attachment, recombination and diffusion at low gas ionization rates and by the recombination and diffusion of negative diatomic ions at high ionization rates. It is also shown that the electron flux defines the microparticle charge at high ionization rates, whereas the electron number density is much less than the ion one. (paper)

PLASMA EMISSION BY WEAK TURBULENCE PROCESSES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ziebell, L. F.; Gaelzer, R. [Instituto de Física, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil); Yoon, P. H. [Institute for Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States); Pavan, J., E-mail: luiz.ziebell@ufrgs.br, E-mail: rudi.gaelzer@ufrgs.br, E-mail: yoonp@umd.edu, E-mail: joel.pavan@ufpel.edu.br [Instituto de Física e Matemática, UFPel, Pelotas, RS (Brazil)

2014-11-10

The plasma emission is the radiation mechanism responsible for solar type II and type III radio bursts. The first theory of plasma emission was put forth in the 1950s, but the rigorous demonstration of the process based upon first principles had been lacking. The present Letter reports the first complete numerical solution of electromagnetic weak turbulence equations. It is shown that the fundamental emission is dominant and unless the beam speed is substantially higher than the electron thermal speed, the harmonic emission is not likely to be generated. The present findings may be useful for validating reduced models and for interpreting particle-in-cell simulations.

Propagation of thermal and hydromagnetic waves in an ionizing-recombining hydrogen plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Di Sigalotti, Leonardo G.; Sira, Eloy; Rendon, Otto; Tremola, Ciro; Mendoza-Briceno, Cesar A.

2004-01-01

The propagation of thermal and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves in a heat-conducting, hydrogen plasma, threaded by an external uniform magnetic field (B) and in which photoionization and photorecombination [H + +e - H+hν(χ)] processes are progressing, is investigated here using linear analysis. The resulting dispersion equation is solved analytically for varied strength (β<<1 and ∼1) and orientation of the magnetic field, where β denotes the ratio of plasma to magnetic pressures. Application of this model to the interstellar medium shows that heat conduction governs the propagation of thermal waves only at relatively high frequencies regardless of the plasma temperature, strength, and orientation of the magnetic field. When the direction of wave propagation is held perpendicular to B (i.e., k perpendicular B), the magnetosonic phase velocity is closely Alfvenic for β<<1, while for β∼1 both the hydrostatic and magnetic pressures determine the wave velocity. As long as k parallel B, the fast (transverse) magnetosonic wave becomes an Alfven wave for all frequencies independent of the plasma temperature and field strength, while the slow (longitudinal) magnetosonic wave becomes a pure sound wave. Amplification of thermal and MHD waves always occur at low frequencies and preferentially at temperatures for which the plasma is either weakly or partially ionized. Compared to previous analysis for the same hydrogen plasma model with B=0, the presence of the magnetic field makes the functional dependence of the physical quantities span a longer range of frequencies, which becomes progressively longer as the field strength is increased

Ultra-low emittance electron beam generation using ionization injection in a plasma beatwave accelerator

Science.gov (United States)

Schroeder, Carl; Benedetti, Carlo; Esarey, Eric; Leemans, Wim

2017-10-01

Ultra-low emittance beams can be generated using ionization injection of electrons into a wakefield excited by a plasma beatwave accelerator. This all-optical method of electron beam generation uses three laser pulses of different colors. Two long-wavelength laser pulses, with frequency difference equal to the plasma frequency, resonantly drive a plasma wave without fully ionizing a gas. A short-wavelength injection laser pulse (with a small ponderomotive force and large peak electric field), co-propagating and delayed with respect to the beating long-wavelength lasers, ionizes a fraction of the remaining bound electrons at a trapped wake phase, generating an electron beam that is accelerated in the wakefield. Using the beating of long-wavelength pulses to generate the wakefield enables atomically-bound electrons to remain at low ionization potentials, reducing the required amplitude of the ionization pulse, and, hence, the initial transverse momentum and emittance of the injected electrons. An example is presented using two lines of a CO2 laser to form a plasma beatwave accelerator to drive the wake and a frequency-doubled Ti:Al2O3 laser for ionization injection. Supported by the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231.

Ionization of anisothermal plasmas. Ionisation des plasmas polythermes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dennery, F.M.

1994-01-01

During this last mid-century, only the temperature of electrons has been involved in the Saha's mass action law, whatever be the other ionic and neutral ones in any isothermal or anisothermal plasma. In order to set aside this underlying paradox in the case of argon ionization, it is necessary to improve this equation of partial equilibrium after having defined: - the basic Gibbs-Duhem's relations for such a polythermal mixture, - the inhomogeneous equilibrium issued from chemical reactions according to Le Chatelier's principle. (author). 3 refs.

Spectral measurements of electron temperature in nonequilibrium highly ionized He plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korshunov, O V; Chinnov, V F; Kavyrshin, D I; Ageev, A G

2016-01-01

It has been experimentally shown that highly ionized He arc plasma does not achieve local thermodynamic equilibrium expected for plasmas with electron concentrations above 1 × 10 16 cm -3 like argon plasma. We have found that the reason for this deviation is strong nonisotropy of plasma. Triple electron recombination with temperatures of 2.5-3 eV is almost absent. Charged particles move from the arc ( r = 1 mm) to chamber walls due to ambipolar diffusion creating ionization nonequilibrium over the excited states rendering Boltzmann distribution and Saha equation inapplicable for determining electron temperature. A method for determining electron temperature is suggested that is based on using the relative intensities of the atomic and ion lines. Its advantage lies in an energy gap between these lines’ states over 50 eV that reduces the influence of nonequilibrium on the result. This influence can be taken into account if the ionization energies of emitting states of atom and ion have close values. The suggested method can be expanded for any media including those with dimensional nonisotropy that have both atomic and ion lines in their emission spectra. (paper)

The classical equation of state of fully ionized plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Eisa, Dalia Ahmed

2011-03-01

The aim of this paper is to calculate the analytical form of the equation of state until the third virial coefficient of a classical system interacting via an effective potential of fully Ionized Plasmas. The excess osmotic pressure is represented in the forms of a convergent series expansions in terms of the plasma Parameter μ _{ab} = {{{e_a e_b χ } over {DKT}}}, where χ2 is the square of the inverse Debye radius. We consider only the thermal equilibrium plasma.

New excitation and ionization mechanism of ions in dense plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujimoto, Takashi; Kato, Takako.

1981-10-01

It is shown that, in dense plasmas, dielectronic capture into doubly excited ionic states followed by the ladder-like excitation-ionization chain becomes important in the excitation-ionization process of ions. For an example of a hydrogen-like ion, its contribution to the excitation 1s → 2s, 2p and also to the ionization has been evaluated by the method of the quasi-steady-state solution to the rate equations. The increase is found to be substantial, i.e., by more than a factor of two both for the excitation and ionization rate coefficients. PACS classification: 52.25., 32.80.D sub(z), 34.80.D. (author)

Annotated bibliography of highly ionized atoms of importance to plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmieder, R.W.

1975-04-01

A bibliography is presented of the literature on highly ionized atoms which have relevance to plasmas. The bibliography is annotated with keywords, and indexed by subjects and authors. It should be of greatest use to researchers working on the problems of impurity cooling and diagnostics of CTR plasmas. (U.S.)

Thermal plasmas: fundamental aspects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fauchais, P.

2005-01-01

This article treats of thermal plasmas, i.e. mainly produced by electric arcs and RF discharges. Their main characteristic is that they are generated at a pressure close to the atmospheric pressure (between 10 4 and 10 6 Pa) and refer to the classical kinetics of the Boltzmann equation. Because of the pressure, the collisions between particles are numerous and ionization is mainly due to a thermal effect. They correspond to electron densities between 10 20 and 10 24 m -3 and temperatures between 6000 and 25000 K. In these plasmas, the electric fields and the average free trajectories are too weak to generate a ionization state by direct inelastic collision. Ionization is thus essentially a thermal phenomenon due to elastic collisions. This article presents: 1 - the particles present in a plasma: definition, energy states; 2 - characteristic data: collisions, average free path and collision cross-section, distribution function, ionization types, charged particles mobility inside an electric field, scattering, Debye length; 3 - plasmas at the thermodynamical equilibrium: conditions of equilibrium, calculation of composition, thermodynamic properties, transport properties, radiation; 4 - thermal plasmas away from equilibrium: conditions of non-equilibrium, calculation of plasma composition, calculation of transport properties, quenching phenomenon. (J.S.)

Electron kinetics modeling in a weakly ionized gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boeuf, Jean-Pierre

1985-01-01

This work presents some features of electron kinetics in a weakly ionized gas. After a summary of the basis and recent developments of the kinetic theory, and a review of the most efficient numerical techniques for solving the Boltzmann equation, several aspects of electron motion in gases are analysed. Relaxation phenomena toward equilibrium under a uniform electric field, and the question of the existence of the hydrodynamic regime are first studied. The coupling between electron kinetics and chemical kinetics due to second kind collisions in Nitrogen is then analysed; a quantitative description of the evolution of the energy balance, accounting for electron-molecule as well as molecule-molecule energy transfer is also given. Finally, electron kinetics in space charge distorted, highly non uniform electric fields (glow discharges, streamers propagation) is investigated with microscopic numerical methods based on Boltzmann and Poisson equations. (author) [fr

Mass spectrometric evidence for suprathermal ionization in an inductively coupled argon plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Houk, R.S.; Svec, H.J.; Fassel, V.A.

1981-01-01

Mass spectra have been obtained of species in the axial channel of an inductively coupled argon plasma by extracting ions from the inductively coupled plasma into a vacuum system housing a quadrupole mass spectrometer. Ionization temperatures (T/sub ion/) are obtained from relative count rates of m/z-resolved ions according to two general types of ionization equilibrium considerations: (a) the radio of doubly/singly charged ions of the same element, and (b) the ratio of singly charged ions from two elements of different ionization energy. The T/sub ion/ values derived from measurement of Ar +2 /Ar + , Ba +2 /Ba + , Sr +2 /Sr + , and Cd + /I + are all greater than those expected from excitation temperatures measured by other workers. The latter three values for T/sub ion/ are in reasonable agreement with values obtained by optical spectrometry for a variety of argon inductively coupled plasmas

Measurements of ion velocity separation and ionization in multi-species plasma shocks

Science.gov (United States)

Rinderknecht, Hans G.; Park, H.-S.; Ross, J. S.; Amendt, P. A.; Wilks, S. C.; Katz, J.; Hoffman, N. M.; Kagan, G.; Vold, E. L.; Keenan, B. D.; Simakov, A. N.; Chacón, L.

2018-05-01

The ion velocity structure of a strong collisional shock front in a plasma with multiple ion species is directly probed in laser-driven shock-tube experiments. Thomson scattering of a 263.25 nm probe beam is used to diagnose ion composition, temperature, and flow velocity in strong shocks ( M ˜6 ) propagating through low-density ( ρ˜0.1 mg/cc) plasmas composed of mixtures of hydrogen (98%) and neon (2%). Within the preheat region of the shock front, two velocity populations of ions are observed, a characteristic feature of strong plasma shocks. The ionization state of the Ne is observed to change within the shock front, demonstrating an ionization-timescale effect on the shock front structure. The forward-streaming proton feature is shown to be unexpectedly cool compared to predictions from ion Fokker-Planck simulations; the neon ionization gradient is evaluated as a possible cause.

Parametric study of x-ray pre-ionizer with plasma cathode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bollanti, S.; Di Lazzaro, P.; Flora, F.; Giordano, G.; Letardi, T.; Schina, G.; Zheng, C.

1993-01-01

The construction characteristics and the performance of an x-ray diode working at 200 Hz are described. The temporal behavior of both the plasma cathode emission and the diode discharge was studied, including the measurements of vacuum effects on the repetition rate and lifetime capability, pre-ionization versus electrical features, and ionization density versus dosage. This simple and low-cost x-ray diode was used to uniformly pre-ionize a half-liter XeCl laser, delivering an output laser energy of 800 mJ/shot at a 100-Hz repetition rate

Plasma-assisted catalytic ionization using porous nickel plate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oohara, W.; Maeda, T.; Higuchi, T.

2011-01-01

Hydrogen atomic pair ions, i.e., H + and H - ions, are produced by plasma-assisted catalytic ionization using a porous nickel plate. Positive ions in a hydrogen plasma generated by dc arc discharge are irradiated to the porous plate, and pair ions are produced from the back of the irradiation plane. It becomes clear that the production quantity of pair ions mainly depends on the irradiation current of positive ions and the irradiation energy affects the production efficiency of H - ions.

Global weak solution for a equations in plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo Boling; Huang Daiwen

2010-01-01

The existence of global weak solutions of the initial boundary value problem to a simplified equations, derived from the equations of two fluid system in plasma, is proven by using energy method and some embedding theorems in Sobolev-Orlicz space.

An analytical excitation model for an ionizing plasma

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mullen, van der J.J.A.M.; Sijde, van der B.; Schram, D.C.

1983-01-01

From an analytical model for the population of high-lying excited levels in ionizing plasmas it appears that the distribution is a superposition of the equilibrium (Saha) value and an overpopulation. This overpopulation takes the form of a Maxwell distribution for free electrons. Experiments for He

Propagation of sound and thermal waves in an ionizing-recombining hydrogen plasma: Revision of results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Di Sigalotti, Leonardo G.; Sira, Eloy; Tremola, Ciro

2002-01-01

The propagation of acoustic and thermal waves in a heat conducting, hydrogen plasma, in which photoionization and photorecombination [H + +e - H+hν(χ)] processes are progressing, is re-examined here using linear analysis. The resulting dispersion equation is solved analytically and the results are compared with previous solutions for the same plasma model. In particular, it is found that wave propagation in a slightly and highly ionized hydrogen plasma is affected by crossing between acoustic and thermal modes. At temperatures where the plasma is partially ionized, waves of all frequencies propagate without the occurrence of mode crossing. These results disagree with those reported in previous work, thereby leading to a different physical interpretation of the propagation of small linear disturbances in a conducting, ionizing-recombining, hydrogen plasma

Solitary wave evolution in a magnetized inhomogeneous plasma under the effect of ionization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jyoti; Malik, Hitendra K.

2011-01-01

A modified form of Korteweg-deVries (KdV) equation appropriate to nonlinear ion acoustic solitary waves in an inhomogeneous plasma is derived in the presence of an external magnetic field and constant ionization in the plasma. This equation differs from usual version of the KdV equation because of the inclusion of two terms arising due to ionization and density gradient present in the plasma. In this plasma, only the compressive solitary waves are found to propagate corresponding to the fast and slow modes. The amplitude of the solitary wave increases with an enhancement in the ionization for the fast mode as well as for the slow mode. The effect of magnetic field is to enhance the width of the solitary structure. The amplitude is found to increase (decrease) with an enhancement in charge number of the ions for the fast (slow) mode. The tailing structure becomes more (less) prominent with the rise in ion drift velocity for the case of fast (slow) mode.

Monte Carlo simulations of ionization potential depression in dense plasmas

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Stránský, Michal

2016-01-01

Roč. 23, č. 1 (2016), 1-5, č. článku 012708. ISSN 1070-664X R&D Projects: GA MŠk LG15013 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : Monte Carlo methods * aluminium * plasma temperature * computer modeling * ionization Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics Impact factor: 2.115, year: 2016

Solitary ionizing surface waves on low-temperature plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vladimirov, S.V.; Yu, M.Y.

1993-01-01

It is demonstrated that at the boundary of semi-infinite low-temperature plasma new types of localized ionizing surface wave structures can propagate. The solitary waves are described by an evolution equation similar to the KdV equation, but the solutions differ considerably from that of the latter

Ion-cyclotron modes in weakly relatavistic plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venugopal, C.; Kurian, P.J.; Renuka, G.

1994-01-01

We derive a dispersion relation for the perpendicular propagation of ion-cyclotron waves around the ion gyrofrequency Ω + in a weakly relativistic, anisotropic Maxwellian plasma. Using an ordering parameter ε, we separated out two dispersion relations, one of which is independent of the relativistic terms, while the other depends sensitively on them. The solutions of the former dispersion relation yield two modes: a low-frequency (LF) mode with a frequency ω + and a high-frequency (HF) mode with ω > Ω + . The plasma is stable to the propagation of these modes. The latter dispersion relation yields a new LF mode in addition to the modes supported by the non-relativistic dispersion relation. The two LF modes can coalesce to make the plasma unstable. These results are also verified numerically using a standard root solver. (author)

Momentum Broadening in Weakly Coupled Quark-Gluon Plasma (with a view to finding the quasiparticles within liquid quark-gluon plasma)

CERN Document Server

D'Eramo, Francesco; Liu, Hong; Rajagopal, Krishna

2013-01-01

We calculate P(k_\\perp), the probability distribution for an energetic parton that propagates for a distance L through a medium without radiating to pick up transverse momentum k_\\perp, for a medium consisting of weakly coupled quark-gluon plasma. We use full or HTL self-energies in appropriate regimes, resumming each in order to find the leading large-L behavior. The jet quenching parameter \\hat q is the second moment of P(k_\\perp), and we compare our results to other determinations of this quantity in the literature, although we emphasize the importance of looking at P(k_\\perp) in its entirety. We compare our results for P(k_\\perp) in weakly coupled quark-gluon plasma to expectations from holographic calculations that assume a plasma that is strongly coupled at all length scales. We find that the shape of P(k_\\perp) at modest k_\\perp may not be very different in weakly coupled and strongly coupled plasmas, but we find that P(k_\\perp) must be parametrically larger in a weakly coupled plasma than in a strongl...

Nonlocal electron heat relaxation in a plasma shock at arbitrary ionization number

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramirez, J.; Sanmartin, J.R.; Fernandez-Feria, R.

1993-01-01

A recently obtained nonlocal expression for the electron heat flux valid for arbitrary ionization numbers Z is used to study the structure of a plane shock wave in a fully ionized plasma. Nonlocal effects are only important in the foot of the electronic preheating region, where the electron temperature gradient is the steepest. The results are quantified as a function of a characteristic Knudsen number of that region. This work also generalizes to arbitrary values of Z previous results on plasma shock wave structure

Detection of lung cancer using plasma protein profiling by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Shevchenko, Valeriy E; Arnotskaya, Natalia E; Zaridze, David G

2010-01-01

There are no satisfactory plasma biomarkers which are available for the early detection and monitoring of lung cancer, one of the most frequent cancers worldwide. The aim of this study is to explore the application of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-ToF MS) to plasma proteomic patterns to distinguish lung cancer patients from healthy individuals. The EDTA plasma samples have been pre-fractionated using magnetic bead kits functionalized with weak cation exchange coatings. We compiled MS protein profiles for 90 patients with squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) and compared them with profiles from 187 healthy controls. The MALDI-ToF spectra were analyzed statistically using ClinProTools bioinformatics software. Depending on the sample used, up to 441 peaks/spectrum could be detected in a mass range of 1000-20,000 Da; 33 of these proteins had statistically differential expression levels between SCC and control plasma (P 90%) in external validation test. These results suggest that plasma MALDI-ToF MS protein profiling can distinguish patients with SCC and also from healthy individuals with relatively high sensitivity and specificity and that MALDI- ToF MS is a potential tool for the screening of lung cancer.

Plasma physics an introduction

CERN Document Server

Fitzpatrick, Richard

2014-01-01

Plasma Physics: An Introduction is based on a series of university course lectures by a leading name in the field, and thoroughly covers the physics of the fourth state of matter. This book looks at non-relativistic, fully ionized, nondegenerate, quasi-neutral, and weakly coupled plasma. Intended for the student market, the text provides a concise and cohesive introduction to plasma physics theory, and offers a solid foundation for students wishing to take higher level courses in plasma physics.

Ionization mechanism of cesium plasma produced by irradiation of dye laser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamada, Jun; Shibata, Kohji; Uchida, Yoshiyuki; Hioki, Yoshiaki; Sahashi, Toshio.

1992-01-01

When a cesium vapor was irradiated by a dye laser which was tuned to the cesium atomic transition line, the number of charged particles produced by the laser radiation was observed. Several sharp peaks in the number of charged particles were observed, which corresponded to the atomic transition where the lower level was the 6P excited atom. The ionization mechanism of the laser-produced cesium plasma has been discussed. An initial electron is produced by laser absorptions of the cesium dimer. When the cesium density is high, many 6P excited atoms are excited by electron collisions. The 6P excited atom further absorbs the laser photon and is ionized through the higher-energy state. As the cesium vapor pressure increases, the resonance effect becomes observable. The 6P excited atom plays dominant role in the ionization mechanism of the laser-produced cesium plasma. (author)

UV laser ionization and electron beam diagnostics for plasma lenses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Govil, R.; Volfbeyn, P.; Leemans, W.

1995-04-01

A comprehensive study of focusing of relativistic electron beams with overdense and underdense plasma lenses requires careful control of plasma density and scale lengths. Plasma lens experiments are planned at the Beam Test Facility of the LBL Center for Beam Physics, using the 50 MeV electron beam delivered by the linac injector from the Advanced Light Source. Here we present results from an interferometric study of plasmas produced in tri-propylamine vapor with a frequency quadrupled Nd:YAG laser at 266 nm. To study temporal dynamics of plasma lenses we have developed an electron beam diagnostic using optical transition radiation to time resolve beam size and divergence. Electron beam ionization of the plasma has also been investigated

Group velocity measurement from the propagation of the ionization front in a surface-wave-produced plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cotrino, J.; Gamero, A.; Sola, A.; Lao, C.

1989-01-01

During the first instant, previous to steady-state in a surface-wave-produced plasma, an ionization front advance front the launcher to the plasma column end. The velocity of the ionization front is much slower than the group velocity of the surface wave, this give a reflection of the incident signal on the moving ionization front. In this paper, the authors use this effect to calculate the surface wave group velocity

Laser-pulse compression in a collisional plasma under weak-relativistic ponderomotive nonlinearity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, Mamta; Gupta, D. N.

2016-01-01

We present theory and numerical analysis which demonstrate laser-pulse compression in a collisional plasma under the weak-relativistic ponderomotive nonlinearity. Plasma equilibrium density is modified due to the ohmic heating of electrons, the collisions, and the weak relativistic-ponderomotive force during the interaction of a laser pulse with plasmas. First, within one-dimensional analysis, the longitudinal self-compression mechanism is discussed. Three-dimensional analysis (spatiotemporal) of laser pulse propagation is also investigated by coupling the self-compression with the self-focusing. In the regime in which the laser becomes self-focused due to the weak relativistic-ponderomotive nonlinearity, we provide results for enhanced pulse compression. The results show that the matched interplay between self-focusing and self-compression can improve significantly the temporal profile of the compressed pulse. Enhanced pulse compression can be achieved by optimizing and selecting the parameters such as collision frequency, ion-temperature, and laser intensity.

Laser-pulse compression in a collisional plasma under weak-relativistic ponderomotive nonlinearity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, Mamta; Gupta, D. N., E-mail: dngupta@physics.du.ac.in [Department of Physics and Astrophysics, North Campus, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007 (India)

2016-05-15

We present theory and numerical analysis which demonstrate laser-pulse compression in a collisional plasma under the weak-relativistic ponderomotive nonlinearity. Plasma equilibrium density is modified due to the ohmic heating of electrons, the collisions, and the weak relativistic-ponderomotive force during the interaction of a laser pulse with plasmas. First, within one-dimensional analysis, the longitudinal self-compression mechanism is discussed. Three-dimensional analysis (spatiotemporal) of laser pulse propagation is also investigated by coupling the self-compression with the self-focusing. In the regime in which the laser becomes self-focused due to the weak relativistic-ponderomotive nonlinearity, we provide results for enhanced pulse compression. The results show that the matched interplay between self-focusing and self-compression can improve significantly the temporal profile of the compressed pulse. Enhanced pulse compression can be achieved by optimizing and selecting the parameters such as collision frequency, ion-temperature, and laser intensity.

Extreme degree of ionization in homogenous micro-capillary plasma columns heated by ultrafast current pulses.

Science.gov (United States)

Avaria, G; Grisham, M; Li, J; Tomasel, F G; Shlyaptsev, V N; Busquet, M; Woolston, M; Rocca, J J

2015-03-06

Homogeneous plasma columns with ionization levels typical of megaampere discharges are created by rapidly heating gas-filled 520-μm-diameter channels with nanosecond rise time current pulses of 40 kA. Current densities of up to 0.3  GA cm^{-2} greatly increase Joule heating with respect to conventional capillary discharge Z pinches, reaching unprecedented degrees of ionization for a high-Z plasma column heated by a current pulse of remarkably low amplitude. Dense xenon plasmas are ionized to Xe^{28+}, while xenon impurities in hydrogen discharges reach Xe^{30+}. The unique characteristics of these hot, ∼300:1 length-to-diameter aspect ratio plasmas allow the observation of unexpected spectroscopic phenomena. Axial spectra show the unusual dominance of the intercombination line over the resonance line of He-like Al by nearly an order of magnitude, caused by differences in opacities in the axial and radial directions. These plasma columns could enable the development of sub-10-nm x-ray lasers.

Emission spectroscopy of highly ionized high-temperature plasma jets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Belevtsev, A A; Chinnov, V F; Isakaev, E Kh [Associated Institute for High Temperatures, Russian Academy of Sciences Izhorskaya 13/19, Moscow, 125412 (Russian Federation)

2006-08-01

This paper deals with advanced studies on the optical emission spectroscopy of atmospheric pressure highly ionized high-temperature argon and nitrogen plasma jets generated by a powerful arc plasmatron. The emission spectra are taken in the 200-1000 nm range with a spectral resolution of {approx}0.01-0.02 nm. The exposure times are 6 x 10{sup -6}-2 x 10{sup -2} s, the spatial resolution is 0.02-0.03 mm. The recorded jet spectra are abundant in spectral lines originating from different ionization stages. In nitrogen plasmas, tens of vibronic bands are also observed. To interpret and process these spectra such that plasma characteristics can be derived, a purpose-developed automated processing system is applied. The use of a CCD camera at the spectrograph output allows a simultaneous recording of the spectral and chord intensity distributions of spectral lines, which can yet belong to the overlapped spectra of the first and second orders of interference. The modern optical diagnostic means and methods used permit the determination of spatial distributions of electron number densities and temperatures and evaluation of rotational temperatures. The radial profiles of the irradiating plasma components can also be obtained. Special attention is given to the method of deriving rotational temperatures using vibronic bands with an incompletely identified rotational structure.

Structure of anode plasma of gas discharge taking into account gas ionization burnout

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zharinov, A.V.; Shumilin, V.P.

2006-01-01

One deals with a structure of an anode plasma of a gas discharge with intensive ionization ( b urnout ) of neutral atoms (neutrals). One derived analytical solutions of the quasi-neutrality equation for potential distribution, as well as, a condition of anode plasma existence in a unidimensional case at the arbitrary dependences of neutral burnout frequency and of electron concentration on the potential. One studied particular cases of the level frequency of neutral burnout, of ionization by the Maxwell electrons and of ionization by the intensive beam at collision-free motion of ions and the Boltzmann distribution of thermal electrons. Solutions for the first two cases at zero parameter of burnout, that is, at the level concentration of a gas coincide with the solutions obtained [1] by the power series expansion. It is shown that in case of ionization by the Maxwell electrons, anode plasma at the rational flow rates of a working gas may be produced under rather high temperature of electrons (if, for example, xenon serves as a working gas, so T e ≥5 eV). The stationary solutions of the quasi-neutrality at ionization by the intensive electron beam are found exclusively when the ratio between the electron beam density and the maximum density of thermal neutrons does not exceed a certain limiting value [ru

Frequency upshift via flash ionization phenomena using semiconductor plasma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nishida A.

2013-11-01

Full Text Available We have demonstrated frequency upshift in the terahertz region by flash ionization. The magnitude of upshift frequency is tuned by the laser intensity. A proof of principle experiment has been performed with a plasma creation time scale much shorter than the period of the electromagnetic wave and a plasma length longer than its wavelength. Frequency upshifted from 0.35 to 3.5 THz by irradiating a ZnSe crystal with a ultra-short laser pulse has been observed.

Electron kinetics with attachment and ionization from higher order solutions of Boltzmann's equation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winkler, R.; Wilhelm, J.; Braglia, G.L.

1989-01-01

An appropriate approach is presented for solving the Boltzmann equation for electron swarms and nonstationary weakly ionized plasmas in the hydrodynamic stage, including ionization and attachment processes. Using a Legendre-polynomial expansion of the electron velocity distribution function the resulting eigenvalue problem has been solved at any even truncation-order. The technique has been used to study velocity distribution, mean collision frequencies, energy transfer rates, nonstationary behaviour and power balance in hydrodynamic stage, of electrons in a model plasma and a plasma of pure SF 6 . The calculations have been performed for increasing approximation-orders, up to the converged solution of the problem. In particular, the transition from dominant attachment to prevailing ionization when increasing the field strength has been studied. Finally the establishment of the hydrodynamic stage for a selected case in the model plasma has been investigated by solving the nonstationary, spatially homogeneous Boltzmann equation in twoterm approximation. (author)

Ionization potential depression in an atomic-solid-plasma picture

Science.gov (United States)

Rosmej, F. B.

2018-05-01

Exotic solid density matter such as heated hollow crystals allow extended material studies while their physical properties and models such as the famous ionization potential depression are presently under renewed controversial discussion. Here we develop an atomic-solid-plasma (ASP) model that permits ionization potential depression studies also for single and multiple core hole states. Numerical calculations show very good agreement with recently available data not only in absolute values but also for Z-scaled properties while currently employed methods fail. For much above solid density compression, the ASP model predicts increased K-edge energies that are related to a Fermi surface rising. This is in good agreement with recent quantum molecular dynamics simulations. For hot dense matter a quantum number dependent optical electron finite temperature ion sphere model is developed that fits well with line shift and line disappearance data from dense laser produced plasma experiments. Finally, the physical transparency of the ASP picture allows a critical discussion of current methods.

Spatial and temporal variation of repetitive plasma discharges in saline solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stalder, K R; Nersisyan, G; Graham, W G

2006-01-01

Repetitive plasma discharges developed in saline solutions have been investigated using fast, intensified charge coupled detector imaging techniques. The images show that synchronously pulsed multielectrode configurations tend to develop intense, transient plasma regions somewhat randomly in both space and time on short (10 μs) time scales, even though they appear to be stationary on longer (tens of milliseconds) time scales. Evidence for the production of both strongly ionized and weakly ionized plasmas is also presented

Gasdynamics of H II regions. V. The interaction of weak R ionization fronts with dense clouds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tenorio-Tagle, G; Bedijn, P J

1981-06-01

The interaction of weak R-type ionization fronts with a density enhancement is calculated numerically as a function of time within the framework of the champagne model of the evolution of H II regions. Calculations are performed under the assumption of plane-parallel geometry for various relative densities of the cloud in which the exciting star is formed and a second cloud with which an ionization front from the first cloud interacts. The supersonic ionization front representing the outer boundary of an H II region experiencing the champagne phase is found to either evolve into a D-type front or remain of type R, depending on the absolute number of photons leaving the H II region that undergoes the champagne phase. Recombinations in the ionized gas eventually slow the ionization front, however photon fluxes allow it to speed up again, resulting in oscillatory propagation of the front. Front-cloud interactions are also shown to lead to the development of a backward-facing shock, a forward-facing shock, and a density maximum in the ionized gas. The results can be used to explain the origin of bright rims in H II regions.

On electromagnetic wave propagation through a plasma sheath produced by a moving ionization source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Semenova, V.I.

1977-01-01

Features of the interaction of electromagnetic waves are considered with a nonstationary plasma layer of a finite thickness, produced in an immovable gas by a movable ionization source. It is shown that a static magnetic field excited on the ionization front in build-up of electrons produced in the incident wave field reemits the energy to the electromagnetic wave during the plasma relaxation caused by recombination processes. As a result the electromagnetic wave of a finite amplitude may propagate behind the nonstationary layer of an ''opaque'' (ωsub(p)sup(2)>>ωsub(urc)sup((0))sup(2)) plasma as distinct from the layer of a movable stationary plasma with the same parameters

Diffusion and drift regimes of plasma ionization wave propagation in a microwave field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khodataev, K.V.; Gorelik, B.R.

1997-01-01

Investigation into diffusion and drift modes of a plasma ionization wave propagation in the microwave field are conducted within the framework of a one-dimensional model with regard to gas ionization by electron shock in an electrical field, adhesion, mobility and diffusion of electrons

Possible influence of the Kuramoto length in a photo-catalytic water splitting reaction revealed by Poisson-Nernst-Planck equations involving ionization in a weak electrolyte

Science.gov (United States)

Suzuki, Yohichi; Seki, Kazuhiko

2018-03-01

We studied ion concentration profiles and the charge density gradient caused by electrode reactions in weak electrolytes by using the Poisson-Nernst-Planck equations without assuming charge neutrality. In weak electrolytes, only a small fraction of molecules is ionized in bulk. Ion concentration profiles depend on not only ion transport but also the ionization of molecules. We considered the ionization of molecules and ion association in weak electrolytes and obtained analytical expressions for ion densities, electrostatic potential profiles, and ion currents. We found the case that the total ion density gradient was given by the Kuramoto length which characterized the distance over which an ion diffuses before association. The charge density gradient is characterized by the Debye length for 1:1 weak electrolytes. We discuss the role of these length scales for efficient water splitting reactions using photo-electrocatalytic electrodes.

Strategies for mitigating the ionization-induced beam head erosion problem in an electron-beam-driven plasma wakefield accelerator

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W. An

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Strategies for mitigating ionization-induced beam head erosion in an electron-beam-driven plasma wakefield accelerator (PWFA are explored when the plasma and the wake are both formed by the transverse electric field of the beam itself. Beam head erosion can occur in a preformed plasma because of a lack of focusing force from the wake at the rising edge (head of the beam due to the finite inertia of the electrons. When the plasma is produced by field ionization from the space charge field of the beam, the head erosion is significantly exacerbated due to the gradual recession (in the beam frame of the 100% ionization contour. Beam particles in front of the ionization front cannot be focused (guided causing them to expand as in vacuum. When they expand, the location of the ionization front recedes such that even more beam particles are completely unguided. Eventually this process terminates the wake formation prematurely, i.e., well before the beam is depleted of its energy. Ionization-induced head erosion can be mitigated by controlling the beam parameters (emittance, charge, and energy and/or the plasma conditions. In this paper we explore how the latter can be optimized so as to extend the beam propagation distance and thereby increase the energy gain. In particular we show that, by using a combination of the alkali atoms of the lowest practical ionization potential (Cs for plasma formation and a precursor laser pulse to generate a narrow plasma filament in front of the beam, the head erosion rate can be dramatically reduced. Simulation results show that in the upcoming “two-bunch PWFA experiments” on the FACET facility at SLAC national accelerator laboratory the energy gain of the trailing beam can be up to 10 times larger for the given parameters when employing these techniques. Comparison of the effect of beam head erosion in preformed and ionization produced plasmas is also presented.

Skin-effect in a dense ionizing plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ivanenkov, G.V.; Taranenko, S.B.

1989-01-01

Effect of multiple ionization and radiation (bremmstrahlung and photorecombination) on skin effect in a dense plasma is investigated. Limiting cases are considered: 1) fast skin-effect, when plasma movement and any types of losses (radiation, electron thermal conductivity) have no time to manifest themselves during short heating times; 2) deceleration of skinning under effect of radiation achieving equilibrium with Joule heating. Self-simulating solutions of the problem for half-space are investigated. The results are applied to analysing experiments with exploding wires. It is shown that under conditions, typical of heavy-current decelerators tubular structures are produced as a result of heat and current skinning under free dispersion of plasma produced during the explosion. Their dimensions are of the order of dozens of microns, and the temperature exceeds 50 eV. The linear power and complete ''tube'' radiation yield at this stage are able to make a substantial contribution to the energy balance in the group

Saha and temperature relaxation approximations for the study of ionization instability in partially ionized plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Numano, M.

1976-01-01

The growth rates for the ionization instability obtained using the Saha and temperature relaxation approximations are compared with those obtained from an exact treatment, and the requirements for validity of these two approximations are obtained analytically. For the range of plasma parameters pertinent to MHD power generation it is found that the Saha approximation is valid for relatively high electron temperature, which it becomes inapplicable as the electron temperature is decreased. On the other hand, the temperature relaxation approximation is accurate over a wide range of electron temperature. It is found also that the marginal condition for the ionization instability is correctly obtained from both approximations. (author)

Ionospheric plasma by VHF waves

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The amplitude scintillations of very high frequency electromagnetic wave ... Scintillations at low latitude are known to occur in discrete patches [5,6] and are part .... weakly ionized plasma with a density gradient and a relative drift of ions and ...

Generalized fluid equations for parallel transport in collisional to weakly collisional plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zawaideh, E.S.

1985-01-01

A new set of two-fluid equations which are valid from collisional to weakly collisional limits are derived. Starting from gyrokinetic equations in flux coordinates with no zeroth order drifts, a set of moment equations describing plasma transport along the field lines of a space and time dependent magnetic field are derived. No restriction on the anisotropy of the ion distribution function is imposed. In the highly collisional limit, these equations reduce to those of Braginskii while in the weakly collisional limit, they are similar to the double adiabatic or Chew, Goldberger, and Low (CGL) equations. The new transport equations are used to study the effects of collisionality, magnetic field structure, and plasma anisotropy on plasma parallel transport. Numerical examples comparing these equations with conventional transport equations show that the conventional equations may contain large errors near the sound speed (M approx. = 1). It is also found that plasma anisotropy, which is not included in the conventional equations, is a critical parameter in determining plasma transport in varying magnetic field. The new transport equations are also used to study axial confinement in multiple mirror devices from the strongly to weakly collisional regime. A new ion conduction model was worked out to extend the regime of validity of the transport equations to the low density multiple mirror regime

Influence of ionization on reflection of solitary waves in a magnetized plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jyoti,; Malik, Hitendra K.; Kumar, Ravinder; Dahiya, Raj P.

2013-01-01

The reflection of nonlinear solitary waves is studied in a nonuniform, magnetized plasma diffusing from an ionization source along the magnetic field lines. Contribution of the ionization term is included in the continuity equation. The behavior of solitary waves is governed by modified form of Korteweg–de Vries equation (called mKdV equation). In order to investigate the reflection of solitary waves, the mKdV equations for the right and left going waves are derived, and solved by finding new transformations coupled at the point of reflection, for obtaining the expression of reflection coefficient. Contrary to the case of usual inhomogeneous plasma, the present analysis shows that a combination of usual sech 2 structure and tanh structure (called the tail of soliton) arises due to the influence of ionization term. Interestingly, this tailing structure disappears after the reflection of the soliton and hence, the soliton is downshifted prominently

The equation of state and ionization equilibrium of dense aluminum plasma with conductivity verification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Kun; Shi, Zongqian; Shi, Yuanjie; Bai, Jun; Wu, Jian; Jia, Shenli

2015-01-01

The equation of state, ionization equilibrium, and conductivity are the most important parameters for investigation of dense plasma. The equation of state is calculated with the non-ideal effects taken into consideration. The electron chemical potential and pressure, which are commonly used thermodynamic quantities, are calculated by the non-ideal free energy and compared with results of a semi-empirical equation of state based on Thomas-Fermi-Kirzhnits model. The lowering of ionization potential, which is a crucial factor in the calculation of non-ideal Saha equation, is settled according to the non-ideal free energy. The full coupled non-ideal Saha equation is applied to describe the ionization equilibrium of dense plasma. The conductivity calculated by the Lee-More-Desjarlais model combined with non-ideal Saha equation is compared with experimental data. It provides a possible approach to verify the accuracy of the equation of state and ionization equilibrium

Parametrically induced low-frequency waves in weakly inhomogeneous magnetized plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pesic, S.

1981-01-01

The linear dispersion relation governing the parametric interaction of a lower hybrid pump wave with a weakly-inhomogeneous current carrying hot plasma confined by a helical magnetic field is derived and solved numerically. The stability boundaries are delineated over a wide range in the k-space. The frequency and growth rate of decay instabilities are calculated for plasma parameters relevant to lower hybrid plasma heating experiments. The parametric excitation of drift waves and ion cyclotron current instabilities is discussed. In the low-density plasma region low minimum thresholds and high growth rates are obtained for the pump decay into ion cyclotron and nonresonant quasimodes. The spatial amplification of hot ion Bernstein waves and nonresonant quasimodes dominate in the plasma core (ω 0 /ωsub(LH) < 2). The presented theoretical results are in qualitative agreement with current LH plasma heating experiments. (author)

Energy expenditures of plasma method of isotope separation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karchevskij, A.I.; Potanin, E.P.

1986-01-01

The estimations are performed of specific energy expenditares in isotope separation of binary mixtures in different plasma systems with weak medium ionization (plasma centrifuge, gas discharge system with travelling magnetic field, direct current discharge). Potential advantages of plasma centrifuge over other gas discharge facilities are pointed out. The comparison of specific energy expenditure values in case of using plasma and conventional methods of isotope separation is carried out

Influence of collective nonideal shielding on fusion reaction in partially ionized classical nonideal plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Myoung-Jae; Jung, Young-Dae

2017-04-01

The collective nonideal effects on the nuclear fusion reaction process are investigated in partially ionized classical nonideal hydrogen plasmas. The effective pseudopotential model taking into account the collective and plasma shielding effects is applied to describe the interaction potential in nonideal plasmas. The analytic expressions of the Sommerfeld parameter, the fusion penetration factor, and the cross section for the nuclear fusion reaction in nonideal plasmas are obtained as functions of the nonideality parameter, Debye length, and relative kinetic energy. It is found that the Sommerfeld parameter is suppressed due to the influence of collective nonideal shielding. However, the collective nonideal shielding is found to enhance the fusion penetration factor in partially ionized classical nonideal plasmas. It is also found that the fusion penetration factors in nonideal plasmas represented by the pseudopotential model are always greater than those in ideal plasmas represented by the Debye-Hückel model. In addition, it is shown that the collective nonideal shielding effect on the fusion penetration factor decreases with an increase of the kinetic energy.

Kinetic electromagnetic instabilities in an ITB plasma with weak magnetic shear

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, W.; Yu, D. L.; Ma, R. R.; Shi, P. W.; Li, Y. Y.; Shi, Z. B.; Du, H. R.; Ji, X. Q.; Jiang, M.; Yu, L. M.; Yuan, B. S.; Li, Y. G.; Yang, Z. C.; Zhong, W. L.; Qiu, Z. Y.; Ding, X. T.; Dong, J. Q.; Wang, Z. X.; Wei, H. L.; Cao, J. Y.; Song, S. D.; Song, X. M.; Liu, Yi.; Yang, Q. W.; Xu, M.; Duan, X. R.

2018-05-01

Kinetic Alfvén and pressure gradient driven instabilities are very common in magnetized plasmas, both in space and the laboratory. These instabilities will be easily excited by energetic particles (EPs) and/or pressure gradients in present-day fusion and future burning plasmas. This will not only cause the loss and redistribution of the EPs, but also affect plasma confinement and transport. Alfvénic ion temperature gradient (AITG) instabilities with the frequency ω_BAE<ω<ω_TAE and the toroidal mode numbers n=2{-}8 are found to be unstable in NBI internal transport barrier plasmas with weak shear and low pressure gradients, where ω_BAE and ω_TAE are the frequencies of the beta- and toroidicity-induced Alfvén eigenmodes, respectively. The measured results are consistent with the general fishbone-like dispersion relation and kinetic ballooning mode equation, and the modes become more unstable the smaller the magnetic shear is in low pressure gradient regions. The interaction between AITG activity and EPs also needs to be investigated with greater attention in fusion plasmas, such as ITER (Tomabechi and The ITER Team 1991 Nucl. Fusion 31 1135), since these fluctuations can be enhanced by weak magnetic shear and EPs.

Storm-enhanced plasma density and polar tongue of ionization development during the 15 May 2005 superstorm

Science.gov (United States)

Horvath, Ildiko; Lovell, Brian C.

2015-06-01

We investigate the ionosphere's global response to the 15 May 2005 superstorm in terms of storm evolution and ionospheric electrodynamics. Our aim is to study the global distribution of plasma and the resultant large-scale ionospheric features including the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA), storm-enhanced density (SED), and polar tongue of ionization (TOI). We have combined multi-instrument ionospheric data, solar and terrestrial magnetic data, and polar convection maps. Results reveal the prompt penetration of the interplanetary electric field to the polar region and then to the equator with a dusk-to-dawn polarity during the initial phase and with a dawn-to-dusk polarity during the main phase. This drove during the initial phase a weak eastward equatorial electrojet (EEJ) in the American sector at nighttime and a weak westward EEJ in the Indian-Australian sector at daytime. During the main phase, these EEJs intensified and changed polarities. SED and polar TOI development was observed prior to and during the initial phase at evening-premidnight hours over North America and during the main phase in the south at afternoon-evening hours in the Australian sector. During the main phase and early in the recovery phase, the EIA-SED structure was well formed in the Asian longitude sector. Then, polar TOI development was absent in the north because of the long distance from the magnetic pole but was supported in the south because of the closeness of daytime cusp and magnetic pole. Thus, the EIA-SED-TOI structure developed twice but each time in a different longitude sector and with different characteristics.

Supersonic propagation of ionization waves in an underdense, laser-produced plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Constantin, C.; Back, C.A.; Fournier, K.B.; Gregori, G.; Landen, O.L.; Glenzer, S.H.; Dewald, E.L.; Miller, M.C.

2005-01-01

A laser-driven supersonic ionization wave propagating through a millimeter-scale plasma of subcritical density up to 2-3 keV electron temperatures was observed. Propagation velocities initially ten times the sound speed were measured by means of time-resolved x-ray imaging diagnostics. The measured ionization wave trajectory is modeled analytically and by a two-dimensional radiation-hydrodynamics code. The comparison to the modeling suggests that nonlocal heat transport effects may contribute to the attenuation of the heat-wave propagation

III. Penning ionization, associative ionization and chemi-ionization processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cermak, V.

1975-01-01

Physical mechanisms of three important ionization processes in a cold plasma and the methods of their experimental study are discussed. An apparatus for the investigation of the Penning ionization using ionization processes of long lived metastable rare gas atoms is described. Methods of determining interaction energies and ionization rates from the measured energy spectra of the originating electrons are described and illustrated by several examples. Typical associative ionization processes are listed and the ionization rates are compared with those of the Penning ionization. Interactions with short-lived excited particles and the transfer of excitation without ionization are discussed. (J.U.)

Gluon Bremsstrahlung in Weakly-Coupled Plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arnold, Peter

2009-01-01

I report on some theoretical progress concerning the calculation of gluon bremsstrahlung for very high energy particles crossing a weakly-coupled quark-gluon plasma. (i) I advertise that two of the several formalisms used to study this problem, the BDMPS-Zakharov formalism and the AMY formalism (the latter used only for infinite, uniform media), can be made equivalent when appropriately formulated. (ii) A standard technique to simplify calculations is to expand in inverse powers of logarithms ln(E/T). I give an example where such expansions are found to work well for ω/T≥10 where ω is the bremsstrahlung gluon energy. (iii) Finally, I report on perturbative calculations of q.

Ratio of sheath thickness to Debye length for a slightly ionized continuum plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamilton, J.

1980-01-01

The penetration of plasma sheaths for spherical probes in a slightly ionized continuum plasma has been computed for values of epsilon (the ratio of ion to electron temperature) of 0.01 and 1.0 with rhosub(p) (the ratio of probe radius to plasma Debye length) set at 5.10,20 and 30. Values of the potential drops at the sheath boundaries are presented

Application of the weak-field asymptotic theory to the analysis of tunneling ionization of linear molecules

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Lars Bojer; Tolstikhin, Oleg I.; Morishita, Toru

2012-01-01

The recently developed weak-field asymptotic theory [ Phys. Rev. A 84 053423 (2011)] is applied to the analysis of tunneling ionization of a molecular ion (H2+), several homonuclear (H2, N2, O2) and heteronuclear (CO, HF) diatomic molecules, and a linear triatomic molecule (CO2) in a static...... electric field. The dependence of the ionization rate on the angle between the molecular axis and the field is determined by a structure factor for the highest occupied molecular orbital. This factor is calculated using a virtually exact discrete variable representation wave function for H2+, very accurate...... Hartree-Fock wave functions for the diatomics, and a Hartree-Fock quantum chemistry wave function for CO2. The structure factors are expanded in terms of standard functions and the associated structure coefficients, allowing the determination of the ionization rate for any orientation of the molecule...

Gas chromatography interfaced with atmospheric pressure ionization-quadrupole time-of-flight-mass spectrometry by low-temperature plasma ionization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Norgaard, Asger W.; Kofoed-Sorensen, Vivi; Svensmark, Bo

2013-01-01

A low temperature plasma (LTP) ionization interface between a gas chromatograph (GC) and an atmospheric pressure inlet mass spectrometer, was constructed. This enabled time-of-flight mass spectrometric detection of GC-eluting compounds. The performance of the setup was evaluated by injection...

IONIZATION IN ATMOSPHERES OF BROWN DWARFS AND EXTRASOLAR PLANETS. V. ALFVÉN IONIZATION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stark, C. R.; Helling, Ch.; Rimmer, P. B.; Diver, D. A.

2013-01-01

Observations of continuous radio and sporadic X-ray emission from low-mass objects suggest they harbor localized plasmas in their atmospheric environments. For low-mass objects, the degree of thermal ionization is insufficient to qualify the ionized component as a plasma, posing the question: what ionization processes can efficiently produce the required plasma that is the source of the radiation? We propose Alfvén ionization as a mechanism for producing localized pockets of ionized gas in the atmosphere, having sufficient degrees of ionization (≥10 –7 ) that they constitute plasmas. We outline the criteria required for Alfvén ionization and demonstrate its applicability in the atmospheres of low-mass objects such as giant gas planets, brown dwarfs, and M dwarfs with both solar and sub-solar metallicities. We find that Alfvén ionization is most efficient at mid to low atmospheric pressures where a seed plasma is easier to magnetize and the pressure gradients needed to drive the required neutral flows are the smallest. For the model atmospheres considered, our results show that degrees of ionization of 10 –6 -1 can be obtained as a result of Alfvén ionization. Observable consequences include continuum bremsstrahlung emission, superimposed with spectral lines from the plasma ion species (e.g., He, Mg, H 2 , or CO lines). Forbidden lines are also expected from the metastable population. The presence of an atmospheric plasma opens the door to a multitude of plasma and chemical processes not yet considered in current atmospheric models. The occurrence of Alfvén ionization may also be applicable to other astrophysical environments such as protoplanetary disks

Radioimmunoassay and chemical ionization/mass spectrometry compared for plasma cortisol determination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindberg, C.; Johnson, S.; Hedner, P.; Gustafsson, A.

1982-01-01

A method is described for determination of cortisol in plasma and urine, based on chemical ionization/mass spectrometry with deuterium-labeled cortisol as the internal standard. The within-run precision (CV) was 2.5-5.7%, the between-run precision 4.6%. Results by this method were compared with those by a radioimmunological method (RIANEN Cortisol, New England Nuclear) for 395 plasma samples. The latter method gave significantly higher (approx. 25%) cortisol values

Aerosol Vacuum-Assisted Plasma Ionization (Aero-VaPI) Coupled to Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry

Science.gov (United States)

Blair, Sandra L.; Ng, Nga L.; Zambrzycki, Stephen C.; Li, Anyin; Fernández, Facundo M.

2018-02-01

In this communication, we report on the real-time analysis of organic aerosol particles by Vacuum-assisted Plasma Ionization-Mass Spectrometry (Aero-VaPI-MS) using a home-built VaPI ion source coupled to a Synapt G2-S HDMS ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS) system. Standards of organic molecules of interest in prebiotic chemistry were used to generate aerosols. Monocaprin and decanoic acid aerosol particles were successfully detected in both the positive and negative ion modes, respectively. A complex aerosol mixture of different sizes of polymers of L-malic acid was also examined through ion mobility (IM) separations, resulting in the detection of polymers of up to eight monomeric units. This noncommercial plasma ion source is proposed as a low cost alternative to other plasma ionization platforms used for aerosol analysis, and a higher-performance alternative to more traditional aerosol mass spectrometers. VaPI provides robust online ionization of organics in aerosols without extensive ion activation, with the coupling to IM-MS providing higher peak capacity and excellent mass accuracy. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Critical ionization velocity as a mechanism for producing Titan's plasma tail

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galeev, A.A.; Khabibrakhmanov, I.KH.

1984-01-01

The phenomenon of a critical ionization velocity may explain the anomalous interaction between the magnetospheric plasma corotating with Saturn and the atmosphere of Titan. Although the dominant role will be played by the lower-hybrid instability due to the counterstreaming of the magnetospehric plasma and newly formed atmospheric ions, charge-separation effects caused by the very large Larmor radius of the new nitrogen ions also may trigger instability. The kinetic energy of the newly formed ions will be conveyed to the electrons by plasma waves generated in the counterflow, thereby exciting the atmospheric atoms to emit radiation. The limiting plasma density and electron temperature in Titan's plasma tail and the frequency spectrum of the waves that develop are determined and compared against the Voyager measurements. 11 references

Alfven wave propagation in a partially ionized plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watts, Christopher; Hanna, Jeremy

2004-01-01

Results from a laboratory study of the dispersion relation of Alfven waves propagating through a partially ionized plasma are presented. The plasma is generated using a helicon source, creating a high density, current-free discharge, where the source can be adjusted to one of several modes with varying neutral fraction. Depending on the neutral fraction, the measured dispersion curve of shear Alfven waves can change significantly. Measurement results are compared with theoretical predictions of the effect of neutral particles on Alfven wave propagation. In fitting the theory, the neutral fraction is independently estimated using two simple particle transport models, one collisionless, the other collisional. The two models predict comparable neutral fractions, and agree well with the neutral fraction required for the Alfven dispersion theory

Nonlinear acoustic waves in partially ionized collisional plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rao, N.N.; Kaup, D.J.; Shukla, P.K.

1991-01-01

Nonlinear propagation of acoustic-type waves in a partially ionized three-component collisional plasma consisting of electrons, ions and neutral particles is investigated. For bidirectional propagation, it is shown that the small- but finite-amplitude waves are governed by the Boussinesq equation, which for unidirectional propagation near the acoustic speed reduces to the usual Korteweg-de Vries equation. For large-amplitude waves, it is demonstrated that the relevant fluid equations are integrable in a stationary frame, and the parameter values for the existence of finite-amplitude solutions are explicitly obtained. In both cases, the different temperatures of the individual species, are taken into account. The relevance of the results to the earth's ionospheric plasma in the lower altitude ranges is pointed out. (author)

Optical emission spectra of a copper plasma produced by a metal vapour vacuum arc plasma source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yotsombat, B.; Poolcharuansin, P.; Vilaithong, T.; Davydov, S.; Brown, I.G.

2001-01-01

Optical emission spectroscopy in the range 200-800 nm was applied for investigation of the copper plasma produced by a metal vapour vacuum arc plasma source. The experiments were conducted for the cases when the plasma was guided by straight and Ω-shaped curved solenoids as well as without solenoids, and also for different vacuum conditions. It was found that, besides singly- and doubly-charged ions, a relatively high concentration of excited neutral copper atoms was present in the plasma. The relative fraction of excited atoms was much higher in the region close to the cathode surface than in the plasma column inside the solenoid. The concentration of excited neutral, singly- and doubly-ionized atoms increased proportionally when the arc current was increased to 400 A. Some weak lines were attributed to more highly ionized copper species and impurities in the cathode material. (author)

Multi-probe ionization chamber system for nuclear-generated plasma diagnostics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, W.Y.; Ellis, W.H.

1990-01-01

This paper reports on the pulsed ionization chamber (PIC) plasma diagnostic system used in studies of nuclear seeded plasma kinetics upgraded to increase the capabilities and extend the range of plasma parameter measurements to higher densities and temperatures. The PIC plasma diagnostic chamber has been provided with additional measurement features in the form of conductivity and Langmuir probes, while the overall experimental system has been fully automated, with computerized control, measurement, data acquisition and analysis by means of IEEE-488 (GPIB) bus control and data transfer protocols using a Macintosh series microcomputer. The design and use of a simple TTL switching system enables remote switching among the various GPIB instruments comprising the multi-probe plasma diagnostic system using software, without the need for a microprocessor. The new system will be used to extend the present study of nuclear generated plasma in He, Ar, Xe, fissionable UF 6 and other fluorine containing gases

Thermal boundary conditions for electrons in a weakly ionized gas near a catalytic wall

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chekmarev, I.

1981-01-01

A technique of matched asymptotic expansions is used to examine the derivation of hydrodynamic transport equations for the external region of a weakly ionized multitemperature gas near an absorbing and conducting wall. An approximate moment solution is constructed for the Knudsen boundary layer. The conditions for the matching of the external and internal expansions lead to a new form of the hydrodynamic boundary conditions, from which the singular behavior of the energy equation for electrons near the wall has been eliminated

Ionization potential depression and optical spectra in a Debye plasma model

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Chengliang; Röpke, Gerd; Reinholz, Heidi; Kraeft, Wolf-Dietrich

2017-11-01

We show how optical spectra in dense plasmas are determined by the shift of energy levels as well as the broadening owing to collisions with the plasma particles. In lowest approximation, the interaction with the plasma particles is described by the RPA dielectric function, leading to the Debye shift of the continuum edge. The bound states remain nearly un-shifted, their broadening is calculated in Born approximation. The role of ionization potential depression as well as the Inglis-Teller effect are shown. The model calculations have to be improved going beyond the lowest (RPA) approximation when applying to WDM spectra.

Electron-helium scattering in Debye plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zammit, Mark C.; Fursa, Dmitry V.; Bray, Igor; Janev, R. K.

2011-01-01

Electron-helium scattering in weakly coupled hot-dense (Debye) plasma has been investigated using the convergent close-coupling method. The Yukawa-type Debye-Hueckel potential has been used to describe plasma Coulomb screening effects. Benchmark results are presented for momentum transfer cross sections, excitation, ionization, and total cross sections for scattering from the ground and metastable states of helium. Calculations cover the entire energy range up to 1000 eV for the no screening case and various Debye lengths (5-100 a 0 ). We find that as the screening interaction increases, the excitation and total cross sections decrease, while the total ionization cross sections increase.

Progress on Beam-Plasma Effect Simulations in Muon Ionization Cooling Lattices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ellison, James [IIT, Chicago; Snopok, Pavel [Fermilab

2017-05-01

New computational tools are essential for accurate modeling and simulation of the next generation of muon-based accelerators. One of the crucial physics processes specific to muon accelerators that has not yet been simulated in detail is beam-induced plasma effect in liquid, solid, and gaseous absorbers. We report here on the progress of developing the required simulation tools and applying them to study the properties of plasma and its effects on the beam in muon ionization cooling channels.

Analysis of ionization wave dynamics in low-temperature plasma jets from fluid modeling supported by experimental investigations

Science.gov (United States)

Yousfi, M.; Eichwald, O.; Merbahi, N.; Jomaa, N.

2012-08-01

This work is devoted to fluid modeling based on experimental investigations of a classical setup of a low-temperature plasma jet. The latter is generated at atmospheric pressure using a quartz tube of small diameter crossed by helium gas flow and surrounded by an electrode system powered by a mono-polar high-voltage pulse. The streamer-like behavior of the fast plasma bullets or ionization waves launched in ambient air for every high-voltage pulse, already emphasized in the literature from experimental or analytical considerations or recent preliminary fluid models, is confirmed by a numerical one-moment fluid model for the simulation of the ionization wave dynamics. The dominant interactions between electron and the main ions present in He-air mixtures with their associated basic data are taken into account. The gradual dilution of helium in air outside the tube along the axis is also considered using a gas hydrodynamics model based on the Navier-Stokes equation assuming a laminar flow. Due to the low magnitude of the reduced electric field E/N (not exceeding 15 Td), it is first shown that consideration of the stepwise ionization of helium metastables is required to reach the critical size of the electron avalanches in order to initiate the formation of ionization waves. It is also shown that a gas pre-ionization ahead of the wave front of about 109 cm-3 (coming from Penning ionization without considering the gas photo-ionization) is required for the propagation. Furthermore, the second ionization wave experimentally observed during the falling time of the voltage pulse, between the powered electrode and the tube exit, is correlated with the electric field increase inside the ionized channel in the whole region between the electrode and the tube exit. The propagation velocity and the distance traveled by the front of the ionization wave outside the tube in the downstream side are consistent with the present experimental measurements. In comparison with the

Determination of Optical-Field Ionization Dynamics in Plasmas through the Direct Measurement of the Optical Phase Change

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taylor, A.J.; Omenetto, G.; Rodriguez, G.; Siders, C.W.; Siders, J.L.W.; Downer, C.

1999-01-01

This is the final report of a three-year Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Project at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The detailed dynamics of an atom in a strong laser field is rich in both interesting physics and potential applications. The goal of this project was to develop a technique for characterizing high-field laser-plasma interactions with femtosecond resolution based on the direct measurement of the phase change of an optical pulse. The authors developed the technique of Multi-pulse Interferometric Frequency Resolved Optical Gating (MI-FROG), which recovers (to all orders) the phase difference between pumped and unpumped probe pulses, enabling the determination of sub-pulsewidth time-resolved phase and frequency shifts impressed by a pump pulse on a weak probe pulse. Using MI-FROG, the authors obtained the first quantitative measurements of high-field ionization rates in noble gases and diatomic molecules. They obtained agreement between the measured ionization rates an d those calculated for the noble gases and diatomic nitrogen and hydrogen using a one-dimensional fluid model and rates derived from tunneling theory. However, much higher rates are measured for diatomic oxygen than predicted by tunneling theory calculations

Forbidden lines of highly ionized ions for localized plasma diagnostics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hinnov, E.; Fonck, R.; Suckewer, S.

1980-06-01

Numerous optically forbidden lines resulting from magnetic dipole transitions in low-lying electron configurations of highly ionized Fe, Ti and Cr atoms have been identified in PLT and PDX tokamak discharges, and applied for localized diagnostics in the high-temperature (0.5 to 3.0 keV) interior of these plasmas. The measurements include determination of local ion densities and their variation in time, and of ion motions (ion temperature, plasma rotations) through Doppler effect of the lines. These forbidden lines are particularly appropriate for such measurements because under typical tokamak conditions their emissivities are quite high (10 11 to 10 14 photons/cm 3 -sec), and their relatively long wavelengths allow the use of intricate optical techniques and instrumentation. The spatial location of the emissivity is directly measurable, and tends to occur near radii where the ionization potential of the ion in question is equal to the local electron temperature. In future larger and presumably higher-temperature tokamaks analogous measurements with somewhat heavier atoms, particularly krypton, and perhaps zirconium appear both feasible and desirable

Application of the MCMC Method for the Calibration of DSMC Parameters to NASA EAST Results for Ionizing, Radiating Hypersonic Flows

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The reentry of a vehicle into a planetary atmosphere creates extreme Mach number conditions which produce a weakly ionized plasma and radiation. The greatest...

Oscillations of the positive column plasma due to ionization wave propagation and two-dimensional structure of striations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golubovskii, Yu B; Kozakov, R V; Wilke, C; Behnke, J; Nekutchaev, V O

2004-01-01

Time and space resolved measurements of the plasma potential in axial and radial directions in S- and P-striations in neon are performed. The measurements in different radial positions were carried out with high spatial resolution by means of simultaneous displacement of electrodes relative to the stationary probe. The plasma potential was found to be a superposition of the potentials of ionization wave and plasma oscillations relative to the electrodes. A method of decomposition of the measured spatio-temporal structure of the potential in components associated with the plasma oscillations and ionization wave propagation is proposed. A biorthogonal decomposition of the spatio-temporal structure of the potential is performed. A comparison of the decomposition results obtained by the two methods is made. The experiments revealed a two-dimensional structure of the potential field in an ionization wave. Qualitative discussions of the reasons for the occurrence of this two-dimensional structure are presented based on the analysis of the kinetic equation and the equation for the potential

An approximate method to calculate ionization of LTE and non-LTE plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Jun; Gu Peijun

1987-01-01

When matter, especially high Z element, is heated to high temperature, it will be ionized many times. The degree of ionization has a strong effect on many plasma properties. So an approximate method to calculate the mean ionization degree is needed for solving many practical problems. An analytical expression which is convenient for the approximate numerical calculation is given by fitting it to the scaling law and numerical results of the ionization potential of Thomas-Fermi statistical model. In LTE case, the ionization degree of Au calculated by using the approximate method is in agreement with that of the average ion model. By extending the approximate method to non-LTE case, the ionization degree of Au is similarly calculated according to Corona model and Collision-Radiatoin model(C-R). The results of Corona model agree with the published data quite well, while the results of C-R approach those of Corona model as the density is reduced and approach those of LTE as the density is increased. Finally, all approximately calculated results of ionization degree of Au and the comparision of them are given in figures and tables

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)

Ionization and acoustical instability of a low temperature magnetized plasma in a combined (direct and alternating) electrical field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andropov, V.G.; Sinkevich, O.A.

1983-01-01

It is shown that the ionization front which moves through a gas along a magnetic field in a combined electrical field, which lies in the plane of the front, may be unstable, as a result of the development of an ionization instability in the plasma behind the front. The criterion of instability of the ionization front does not greatly differ from the criterion of instability of an infinite plasma. The ionization front in the magnetic field is stable only in an electrical field of circular polarization or in a combined field in which the direct and alternating electrical fields are orthogonal and the Joule heat liberation from them is equal. The generation of sound is possible in a magnetized plasma in an alternating electrical field orthogonal to a magnetic due to the parametric acoustical instability at the frequency of the external electrical field. 8 refs

Study in the plasma with non-equilibrium ionization state by relative intensities in K-spectra of multicharged ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bojko, V.A.; Skobelev, I.Yu.; Faenov, A.Ya.

1984-01-01

The pressure of the K-spectra formation of multicharge h-, He-, Li-like ions in a plasma with an arbitrary ionization state are considered. It is shown that comparison of experimental and theoretical data on the intensities of f a number of spectral lines belonging to such ions allows one to determine both the plasma electron temperature and ion distribution versus the ionization degre ees. The proposed method of plasma diagnostics is used for measuring parameters of the expanding laser-produced magnesium plasme

Jeans instability of inhomogeneous dusty plasma with polarization force, ionization and recombination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jain, Shweta; Sharma, Prerana; Chhajlani, R K

2017-01-01

The self-gravitational Jeans instability has been studied in dusty plasma containing significant background of neutral pressure and recombination of ions and electrons on the dust surface. The full dynamics of charged dust grains, ions and neutral species are employed considering the electrons as Maxwellian. We have derived the general dispersion relation for collisional dusty plasma with ionization, recombination and polarization force. The general dispersion relation describes the effects of considered parameters which are solved in different dusty plasma situations. Further, the dispersion relation is solved numerically. The present work is applicable to understand the structure formation of interstellar molecular clouds in astrophysical plasma. (paper)

Jeans instability of inhomogeneous dusty plasma with polarization force, ionization and recombination

Science.gov (United States)

Jain, Shweta; Sharma, Prerana; Chhajlani, R. K.

2017-05-01

The self-gravitational Jeans instability has been studied in dusty plasma containing significant background of neutral pressure and recombination of ions and electrons on the dust surface. The full dynamics of charged dust grains, ions and neutral species are employed considering the electrons as Maxwellian. We have derived the general dispersion relation for collisional dusty plasma with ionization, recombination and polarization force. The general dispersion relation describes the effects of considered parameters which are solved in different dusty plasma situations. Further, the dispersion relation is solved numerically. The present work is applicable to understand the structure formation of interstellar molecular clouds in astrophysical plasma.

Supersonic Ionization Wave Driven by Radiation Transport in a Short-Pulse Laser-Produced Plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ditmire, T.; Gumbrell, E.T.; Smith, R.A.; Mountford, L.; Hutchinson, M.H.

1996-01-01

Through the use of an ultrashort (2ps) optical probe, we have time resolved the propagation of an ionization wave into solid fused silica. This ionization wave results when a plasma is created by the intense irradiation of a solid target with a 2ps laser pulse. We find that the velocity of the ionization wave is consistent with radiation driven thermal transport, exceeding the velocity expected from simple electron thermal conduction by nearly an order of magnitude. copyright 1996 The American Physical Society

Collision effects on propagation characteristics of electromagnetic waves in a sub-wavelength plasma slab of partially ionized dense plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Bowen, LI; Zhibin, WANG; Qiuyue, NIE; Xiaogang, WANG; Fanrong, KONG; Zhenyu, WANG

2018-01-01

Intensive collisions between electrons and neutral particles in partially ionized plasmas generated in atmospheric/sub-atmospheric pressure environments can sufficiently affect the propagation characteristics of electromagnetic waves, particularly in the sub-wavelength regime. To investigate the collisional effect in such plasmas, we introduce a simplified plasma slab model with a thickness on the order of the wavelength of the incident electromagnetic wave. The scattering matrix method (SMM) is applied to solve the wave equation in the plasma slab with significant nonuniformity. Results show that the collisions between the electrons and the neutral particles, as well as the incident angle and the plasma thickness, can disturb the transmission and reduce reflection significantly.

Study on the electromagnetic waves propagation characteristics in partially ionized plasma slabs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhi-Bin Wang

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Propagation characteristics of electromagnetic (EM waves in partially ionized plasma slabs are studied in this paper. Such features are significant to applications in plasma antennas, blackout of re-entry flying vehicles, wave energy injection to plasmas, and etc. We in this paper developed a theoretical model of EM wave propagation perpendicular to a plasma slab with a one-dimensional density inhomogeneity along propagation direction to investigate essential characteristics of EM wave propagation in nonuniform plasmas. Particularly, the EM wave propagation in sub-wavelength plasma slabs, where the geometric optics approximation fails, is studied and in comparison with thicker slabs where the geometric optics approximation applies. The influences of both plasma and collisional frequencies, as well as the width of the plasma slab, on the EM wave propagation characteristics are discussed. The results can help the further understanding of propagation behaviours of EM waves in nonuniform plasma, and applications of the interactions between EM waves and plasmas.

Ionization of Rb Rydberg atoms in the attractive nsnp dipole-dipole potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Hyunwook; Shuman, E. S.; Gallagher, T. F.

2011-01-01

We have observed the ionization of a cold gas of Rb Rydberg atoms which occurs when nsns van der Waals pairs of ns atoms of n≅ 40 on a weakly repulsive potential are transferred to an attractive dipole-dipole nsnp potential by a microwave transition. Comparing the measurements to a simple model shows that the initial 300-μK thermal velocity of the atoms plays an important role. Excitation to a repulsive dipole-dipole potential does not lead to more ionization on a 15-μs time scale than leaving the atoms in the weakly repulsive nsns state. This observation is slightly surprising since a radiative transition must occur to allow ionization in the latter case. Finally, by power broadening of the microwave transition, to allow transitions from the initial nsns state to the nsnp state over a broad range of internuclear spacings, it is possible to accelerate markedly the evolution to a plasma.

Investigation of mono/competitive adsorption of environmentally relevant ionized weak acids on graphite: impact of molecular properties and thermodynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Moustafa, Ahmed M A; McPhedran, Kerry N; Moreira, Jesús; Gamal El-Din, Mohamed

2014-12-16

The thermodynamics of adsorption and competitive interactions of five weak acids on a graphite surface was assessed in alkaline solutions. Adsorption of the acids in mono- and multicompound solutions followed their Freundlich isotherms which suggest a diversity of graphite adsorption sites as confirmed by the presence of carboxylic and phenolic groups observed on graphite surfaces. Thermodynamic calculations assigned the formation of the negatively charged assisted hydrogen bond (-CAHB) between ionized solutes and adsorbent surface groups as the possible adsorption mechanism. However, the similar pKa values of current acids resulted in comparable free energies for -CAHB formation (ΔG(-CAHB)) being less than solvation free energies (ΔGSolv). Thus, additional ΔG is supplemented by increased hydrophobicity due to proton exchange of ionized acids with water (ΔΔG Hydrophobicity). Adsorption capacities and competition coefficients indicated that ΔΔG Hydrophobicity values depend on the neutral and ionized acid Kow. Competitive adsorption implies that multilayer adsorption may occur via hydrophobic bonding with the CH3 ends of the self-assembled layer which affects the acid adsorption capacities in mixtures as compared to monocompound solutions. The determination of adsorption mechanisms will assist in understanding of the fate and bioavailability of emerging and classical weak acids released into natural waters.

Investigation of plasma-related matrix effects in inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry caused by matrices with low second ionization potentials-identification of the secondary factor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chan, George C.-Y.; Hieftje, Gary M.

2006-01-01

Plasma-related matrix effects induced by a comprehensive list of matrix elements (a total of fifty-one matrices) in inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry were investigated and used to confirm that matrix effects caused by elements with a low second ionization potential are more severe than those from matrix elements having a low first ionization potential. Although the matrix effect is correlated unambiguously with the second ionization potential of a matrix, the correlation is not monotonic, which suggests that at least one other factor is operative. Through study of a large pool of matrix elements, it becomes possible to identify another critical parameter that defines the magnitude of the matrix effect; namely the presence of low-lying energy levels in the doubly charged matrix ion. Penning ionization by Ar excited states is proposed as the dominant mechanism for both analyte ionization/excitation and matrix effects; matrices with a low second ionization potential can effectively quench the population of Ar excited states through successive Penning ionization followed by ion-electron recombination and lead to more severe matrix effects

Surface ionization wave in a plasma focus-like model device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yordanov, V; Blagoev, A; Ivanova-Stanik, I; Veldhuizen, E M van; Nijdam, S; Dijk, J van; Mullen, J J A M van der

2008-01-01

A numerical particle in cell-Monte Carlo model of the breakdown in the plasma focus device simulates the development of an ionization wave sliding along the insulator. In order to validate this model a planar model device is created. The pictures of the discharges taken by a fast optical camera show that we have qualitative agreement between the model and the experimental observations.

Surface ionization wave in a plasma focus-like model device

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yordanov, V; Blagoev, A [Faculty of Physics, University of Sofia, 5 James Bourchier Blvd, BG-1164, Sofia (Bulgaria); Ivanova-Stanik, I [IPPLM, 23 Hery St, PO Box 49, PL-00-908 Warsaw (Poland); Veldhuizen, E M van; Nijdam, S; Dijk, J van; Mullen, J J A M van der [Department of Applied Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven (Netherlands)], E-mail: v.yordanov@phys.uni-sofia.bg

2008-11-07

A numerical particle in cell-Monte Carlo model of the breakdown in the plasma focus device simulates the development of an ionization wave sliding along the insulator. In order to validate this model a planar model device is created. The pictures of the discharges taken by a fast optical camera show that we have qualitative agreement between the model and the experimental observations.

Comparison of the properties polyamide 6.6 surfaces treated by plasma and by ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Irineu, Rosa Maria da Silva

2010-01-01

This study aims to compare the surface properties of polyamide 6.6 plasma treatment and ionizing radiation, as well as determine the best technique and condition of the surface activation, adhesion of the same order and polyacrylic rubber used in manufacturing of automotive retainers. Treatment of polyamide 6.6 plasma was performed using an equipment 'Electronic Diener - Plasma - Surface-Technology LFG40' with nitrogen gas at a pressure of 1.40 kg/cm 2 . Samples of polyamide 6.6 were also treated with ionizing radiation, atmospheric pressure and in vacuum, using an industrial electron accelerator, Dynamitron JOB 188 with radiation dose of 5, 10, 20, 40, 50, 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500kGy with a dose rate of 11.22 kGy/s for all doses and rate of 11.22 kGy/s and 22.38 kGy/s for a dose of 20kGy. After the processes of surface modification of polyamide 6.6, part of the untreated samples, treated by plasma and by ionizing radiation were incorporated into the polyacrylic rubber, and another part was designed to characterize the surface using the techniques of SEM / EDS, FT- IR, PIXE / RBS, AFM and contact angle. Untreated samples and the irradiated samples did not join the polyacrylic rubber. The samples treated by plasma joined the polyacrylic rubber efficiently and showed differences in roughness in SEM and AFM, and an increase in contact angle when compared with untreated samples. The irradiated samples showed no significant differences in the analysis of properties used in this study when compared with untreated samples. Ionizing radiation was not effective in surface modification of polyamide 6.6 for adherence with polyacrylic rubber. (author)

Negative ion beam formation using thermal contact ionization type plasma source

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fukuura, Yoshiyuki; Murakami, Kazutugu; Masuoka, Toshio; Katsumata, Itsuo [Osaka City Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Engineering

1997-02-01

The small ion sources utilizing thermal ionization have been already developed, and at present, in order to increase ion yield, that being developed to the cylindrical plasma prototype having the inner surface of a Re foil cylinder as the ionization surface, and stably functioning at 3,000 K has been developed, and by using this plasma source, the research on the formation of various ions has been carried out. At present, the research on the formation of Li negative ion beam is carried out. The separation of negative ions from electrons is performed with the locally limited magnetic field using a small iron core electromagnet placed behind the electrostatic accelerating lens system. So for, the formation of about 2 {mu}A at maximum of negative ions was confirmed. It was decided to identify the kinds of ions by time of flight (TOF) process, and the various improvements for this purpose were carried out. The experimental setup, the structure of the plasma source, the circuits for TOF measurement and so on are explained. The experimental results are reported. The problems are the possibility of the formation of alkali metals, the resolution of the time axis of the TOF system and so on. (K.I.)

Numerical study on general dispersion relation of anisotropic and weakly relativistic plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ke Fujiu; Chen Yanping

1987-01-01

The key problem in heating and instability studies in plasma physics is to obtain dispersive equation and its solution. This paper presents the general dispersive equation and corresponding procedure for electromagnetic wave which nearly poloidally impinges on anisotropic, weakly relativistic Maxwellian plasma with inhomogeneous density in nonuniform magnetic field (such as plasma in TOKAMAK). The double index function F ij , significant in plasma physics, was expanded as single index function F 1 , and then the values were calculated by means of dispersive function. It was also pointed out that the severe error would be involved in the calculation of F ij from recurrence relation of F 11

Effects of plasma jet parameters, ionization, thermal conduction, and radiation on stagnation conditions of an imploding plasma liner

Science.gov (United States)

Stanic, Milos

The disciplines of High Energy Density Physics (HEDP) and Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) are characterized by hypervelocity implosions and strong shocks. The Plasma Liner Experiment (PLX) is focused on reaching HEDP and/or ICF relevant regimes in excess of 1 Mbar peak pressure by the merging and implosion of discrete plasma jets, as a potentially efficient path towards these extreme conditions in a laboratory. In this work we have presented the first 3D simulations of plasma liner, formation, and implosion by the merging of discrete plasma jets in which ionization, thermal conduction, and radiation are all included in the physics model. The study was conducted by utilizing a smoothed particle hydrodynamics code (SPHC) and was a part of the plasma liner experiment (PLX). The salient physics processes of liner formation and implosion are studied, namely vacuum propagation of plasma jets, merging of the jets (liner forming), implosion (liner collapsing), stagnation (peak pressure), and expansion (rarefaction wave disassembling the target). Radiative transport was found to significantly reduce the temperature of the liner during implosion, thus reducing the thermal expansion rates and leaving more pronounced gradients in the plasma liner during the implosion compared with ideal hydrodynamic simulations. These pronounced gradients lead to a greater sensitivity of initial jet geometry and symmetry on peak pressures obtained. Accounting for ionization and transport, many cases gave higher peak pressures than the ideal hydrodynamic simulations. Scaling laws were developed accordingly, creating a non-dimensional parameter space in which performance of an imploding plasma jet liner can be estimated. It is shown that HEDP regimes could be reached with ≈ 5 MJ of liner energy, which would translate to roughly 10 to 20 MJ of stored (capacitor) energy. This is a potentially significant improvement over the currently available means via ICF of achieving HEDP and nuclear

Ionization equilibrium and radiation losses of molybdenum in a high temperature plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1976-11-01

The ionization equilibrium and the associated radiation losses of molybdenum have been calculated as a function of the electron temperature. In the 1-2keV range the computed fractional abundances are supported by experimental facts obtained in T.F.R. Tokamak plasmas

Dynamic conductivity and partial ionization in dense fluid hydrogen

Science.gov (United States)

Zaghoo, Mohamed

2018-04-01

A theoretical description for optical conduction experiments in dense fluid hydrogen is presented. Different quantum statistical approaches are used to describe the mechanism of electronic transport in hydrogen's high-temperature dense phase. We show that at the onset of the metallic transition, optical conduction could be described by a strong rise in atomic polarizability, due to increased ionization, whereas in the highly degenerate limit, the Ziman weak scattering model better accounts for the observed saturation of reflectance. The inclusion of effects of partial ionization in the highly degenerate region provides great agreement with experimental results. Hydrogen's fluid metallic state is revealed to be a partially ionized free-electron plasma. Our results provide some of the first theoretical transport models that are experimentally benchmarked, as well as an important guide for future studies.

Positron deposition in plasmas by positronium beam ionization and transport of positrons in tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murphy, T.J.

1986-11-01

In a recently proposed positron transport experiment, positrons would be deposited in a fusion plasma by forming a positronium (Ps) beam and passing it through the plasma. Positrons would be deposited as the beam is ionized by plasma ions and electrons. Radial transport of the positrons to the limiter could then be measured by detecting the gamma radiation produced by annihilation of positrons with electrons in the limiter. This would allow measurements of the transport of electron-mass particles and might shed some light on the mechanisms of electron transport in fusion plasmas. In this paper, the deposition and transport of positrons in a tokamak are simulated and the annihilation signal determined for several transport models. Calculations of the expected signals are necessary for the optimal design of a positron transport experiment. There are several mechanisms for the loss of positrons besides transport to the limiter. Annihilation with plasma electrons and reformation of positronium in positron-hydrogen collisions are two such processes. These processes can alter the signal and place restrictions ons on the plasma conditions in which positron transport experiments can be effectively performed

The temporal behaviour of MHD waves in a partially ionized prominence-like plasma: Effect of heating and cooling

Science.gov (United States)

Ballester, J. L.; Carbonell, M.; Soler, R.; Terradas, J.

2018-01-01

Context. During heating or cooling processes in prominences, the plasma microscopic parameters are modified due to the change of temperature and ionization degree. Furthermore, if waves are excited on this non-stationary plasma, the changing physical conditions of the plasma also affect wave dynamics. Aims: Our aim is to study how temporal variation of temperature and microscopic plasma parameters modify the behaviour of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves excited in a prominence-like hydrogen plasma. Methods: Assuming optically thin radiation, a constant external heating, the full expression of specific internal energy, and a suitable energy equation, we have derived the profiles for the temporal variation of the background temperature. We have computed the variation of the ionization degree using a Saha equation, and have linearized the single-fluid MHD equations to study the temporal behaviour of MHD waves. Results: For all the MHD waves considered, the period and damping time become time dependent. In the case of Alfvén waves, the cut-off wavenumbers also become time dependent and the attenuation rate is completely different in a cooling or heating process. In the case of slow waves, while it is difficult to distinguish the slow wave properties in a cooling partially ionized plasma from those in an almost fully ionized plasma, the period and damping time of these waves in both plasmas are completely different when the plasma is heated. The temporal behaviour of the Alfvén and fast wave is very similar in the cooling case, but in the heating case, an important difference appears that is related with the time damping. Conclusions: Our results point out important differences in the behaviour of MHD waves when the plasma is heated or cooled, and show that a correct interpretation of the observed prominence oscillations is very important in order to put accurate constraints on the physical situation of the prominence plasma under study, that is, to perform prominence

Creating space plasma from the ground

Science.gov (United States)

Carlson, H. C.; Djuth, F. T.; Zhang, L. D.

2017-01-01

We have performed an experiment to compare as directly as realizable the ionization production rate by HF radio wave energy versus by solar EUV. We take advantage of the commonality that ionization production by both ground-based high-power HF radio waves and by solar EUV is driven by primary and secondary suprathermal electrons near and above 20 eV. Incoherent scatter radar (ISR) plasma-line amplitudes are used as a measure of suprathermal electron fluxes for ISR wavelengths near those for 430 MHz and are indeed a clean measure of such for those fluxes sufficiently weak to have negligible self-damping. We present data from an HF heating experiment on November 2015 at Arecibo, which even more directly confirm the only prior midlatitude estimate, of order 10% efficiency for conversion of HF energy to ionospheric ionization. We note the theoretical maximum possible is 1/3, while 1% or less reduces the question to near practical irrelevance. Our measurements explicitly confirm the prediction that radio-frequency production of artificial ionospheres can be practicable, even at midlatitudes. Furthermore, that this midlatitude efficiency is comparable to efficiencies measured at high latitudes (which include enhancements unique to high latitudes including magnetic zenith effect, gyrofrequency multiples, and double resonances) requires reexamination of current theoretical thinking about soft-electron acceleration processes in weakly magnetized plasmas. The implications are that electron acceleration by any of a variety of processes may be a fundamental underpinning to energy redistribution in space plasmas.

Electron Beam Diagnostics in Plasmas Based on Electron Beam Ionization

Science.gov (United States)

Leonhardt, Darrin; Leal-Quiros, Edbertho; Blackwell, David; Walton, Scott; Murphy, Donald; Fernsler, Richard; Meger, Robert

2001-10-01

Over the last few years, electron beam ionization has been shown to be a viable generator of high density plasmas with numerous applications in materials modification. To better understand these plasmas, we have fielded electron beam diagnostics to more clearly understand the propagation of the beam as it travels through the background gas and creates the plasma. These diagnostics vary greatly in sophistication, ranging from differentially pumped systems with energy selective elements to metal 'hockey pucks' covered with thin layers of insulation to electrically isolate the detector from the plasma but pass high energy beam electrons. Most importantly, absolute measurements of spatially resolved beam current densities are measured in a variety of pulsed and continuous beam sources. The energy distribution of the beam current(s) will be further discussed, through experiments incorporating various energy resolving elements such as simple grids and more sophisticated cylindrical lens geometries. The results are compared with other experiments of high energy electron beams through gases and appropriate disparities and caveats will be discussed. Finally, plasma parameters are correlated to the measured beam parameters for a more global picture of electron beam produced plasmas.

Tunnel ionization of atoms and molecules: How accurate are the weak-field asymptotic formulas?

Science.gov (United States)

Labeye, Marie; Risoud, François; Maquet, Alfred; Caillat, Jérémie; Taïeb, Richard

2018-05-01

Weak-field asymptotic formulas for the tunnel ionization rate of atoms and molecules in strong laser fields are often used for the analysis of strong field recollision experiments. We investigate their accuracy and domain of validity for different model systems by confronting them to exact numerical results, obtained by solving the time dependent Schrödinger equation. We find that corrections that take the dc-Stark shift into account are a simple and efficient way to improve the formula. Furthermore, analyzing the different approximations used, we show that error compensation plays a crucial role in the fair agreement between exact and analytical results.

Mass spectra and ionization temperatures in an argon-nitrogen inductively coupled plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Houk, R.S.; Montaser, A.; Fassel, V.A.

1983-01-01

Positive ions were extracted from the axial channel of an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) in which the outer gas flow was Ar, N 2 , or a mixture of Ar and N 2 . Addition of N 2 to the outer gas decreases the electron number density (n/sub e/) in the axial channel. Ar +2 , O 2 + , and ArH + react with N-containing species in the plasma and/or during the ion extraction process. Ar + remains abundant even if there is no Ar in the outer gas, which indicates the probable occurrence of charge transfer reactions between N 2 + and Ar. The present work corroborates two general concepts upon which several theories of theorigin of suprathermal ionization in ICPs are based: (a) species are physically transported from the induction region to the axial channel; and (b) these species may react with a ionize neutral species in the axial channel. Ionization temperatures (T/sub ion/) measured from the ratio Cd + /I + were 5750 to 6700 K for a N 2 outer flow ICP a forward power of 1.2 kW. This T/sub ion/ range is significantly below that obtained for an Ar outer gas ICP under otherwise similar operating parameters

Development of soft ionization using direct current pulse glow discharge plasma source in mass spectrometry for volatile organic compounds analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Nunome, Yoko; Kodama, Kenji; Ueki, Yasuaki; Yoshiie, Ryo; Naruse, Ichiro; Wagatsuma, Kazuaki

2018-01-01

This study describes an ionization source for mass analysis, consisting of glow discharge plasma driven by a pulsed direct-current voltage for soft plasma ionization, to detect toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) rapidly and easily. The novelty of this work is that a molecular adduct ion, in which the parent molecule attaches with an NO+ radical, [M + NO]+, can be dominantly detected as a base peak with little or no fragmentation of them in an ambient air plasma at a pressure of several kPa. Use of ambient air as the discharge plasma gas is suitable for practical applications. The higher pressure in an ambient air discharge provided a stable glow discharge plasma, contributing to the soft ionization of organic molecules. Typical mass spectra of VOCs toluene, benzene, o-xylene, chlorobenzene and n-hexane were observed as [M + NO]+ adduct ion whose peaks were detected at m/z 122, 108, 136, 142 and 116, respectively. The NO generation was also confirmed by emission bands of NO γ-system. The ionization reactions were suggested, such that NO+ radical formed in an ambient air discharge could attach with the analyte molecule.

Taming Instabilities in Plasma Discharges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klinger, T.; Krahnstover, N. O.; Mausbach, T.; Piel, A.

2000-01-01

Recent experimental work on taming instabilities in plasma discharges is discussed. Instead of suppressing instabilities, it is desired to achieve control over their dynamics, done by perturbing appropriately the current flow in the external circuit of the discharge. Different discrete and continuous feedback as well as open-loop control schemes are applied. Chaotic oscillations in plasma diodes are controlled using the OGY discrete feedback scheme. This is demonstrated both in experiment and computer simulation. Weakly developed ionization wave turbulence is tamed by continuous feedback control. Open-loop control of stochastic fluctuations - stochastic resonance - is demonstrated in a thermionic plasma diode. (author)

Time-dependent ionization balance model for non-LTE plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Y.T.; Zimmerman, G.B.; Bailey, D.S.; Dickson, D.; Kim, D.

1986-01-01

We have developed a detailed configuration-accounting kinetic model for calculating time-dependent ionization-balance and ion-level populations in non-local thermal-equilibrium (non-LTE) plasmas. We use these population estimates in computing spectral line intensities, line ratios, and synthetic spectra, and in fitting these calculated values to experimental measurements. The model is also used to design laboratory x-ray laser experiments. For this purpose, it is self-consistently coupled to the hydrodynamics code LASNEX. 20 refs., 14 figs

Hot tungsten plate based ionizer for cesium plasma in a multi-cusp field experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patel, Amitkumar D.; Sharma, Meenakshee; Ramasubramanian, Narayanan; Chattopadhyay, Prabal K.

2015-01-01

In a newly proposed basic experiment, contact-ionized cesium ions will be confined by a multi cups magnetic field configuration. The cesium ion will be produced by impinging collimated neutral atoms on an ionizer consisting of the hot tungsten plate. The temperature of the tungsten plate will also be made high enough (∼2700 K) such that it will contribute electrons also to the plasma. It is expected that at this configuration the cesium plasma would be really quiescent and would be free from even the normal drift waves observed in the classical Q-machines. For the ionizer a design based on F. F. Chen's design was made. This ionizer is very fine machining and exotic material like Tungsten plate, Molybdenum screws, rings, and Boron Nitride ceramics etc. The fine and careful machining of these materials was very hard. In this paper, the experience about to join the tungsten wire to molybdenum plate and alloy of tantalum and molybdenum ring is described. In addition experimental investigations have been made to measure 2D temperature distribution profile of the Tungsten hot plate using infrared camera and the uniformity of temperature distribution over the hot plate surface is discussed. (author)

Dc to ac field conversion due to leaky-wave excitation in a plasma slab behind an ionization front

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kostin, V A; Vvedenskii, N V

2015-01-01

We present a way for generating coherent tunable electromagnetic radiation through dc to ac field conversion by an ionization front. The conversion is caused by the excitation of leaky waves behind the transversely limited ionization front propagating in a uniform electrostatic field. This differs significantly from the well-known dc-to-ac-radiation-converter models which consider Doppler-like frequency conversion by a transversely unlimited ionization front propagating in a spatially periodic electric field. We explore the dispersion properties and excitation of these leaky waves radiated through the transverse plasma boundary at the Cherenkov angle to the direction of propagation of a superluminal ionization front as dependent on the parameters of the plasma produced and on the speed of the ionization front. It is shown that not only the center frequency but also the duration and waveform of the generated pulse may significantly depend on the speed of the ionization front. The results indicate the possibility of using such converters based on planar photoconductive antennas to create sources of microwave and terahertz radiation with controllable waveforms that are transformed from video to radio pulse when the angle of incident ionizing radiation is tuned. (paper)

Transient growth of a Vlasov plasma in a weakly inhomogeneous magnetic field

KAUST Repository

Ratushnaya, Valeria

2016-12-17

We investigate the stability properties of a collisionless Vlasov plasma in a weakly inhomogeneous magnetic field using non-modal stability analysis. This is an important topic in a physics of tokamak plasma rich in various types of instabilities. We consider a thin tokamak plasma in a Maxwellian equilibrium, subjected to a small arbitrary perturbation. Within the framework of kinetic theory, we demonstrate the emergence of short time scale algebraic instabilities evolving in a stable magnetized plasma. We show that the linearized governing operator (Vlasov operator) is non-normal leading to the transient growth of the perturbations on the time scale of several plasma periods that is subsequently followed by Landau damping. We calculate the first-order distribution function and the electric field and study the dependence of the transient growth characteristics on the magnetic field strength and perturbation parameters of the system. We compare our results with uniformly magnetized plasma and field-free Vlasov plasma.

Transient growth of a Vlasov plasma in a weakly inhomogeneous magnetic field

KAUST Repository

Ratushnaya, Valeria; Samtaney, Ravi

2016-01-01

We investigate the stability properties of a collisionless Vlasov plasma in a weakly inhomogeneous magnetic field using non-modal stability analysis. This is an important topic in a physics of tokamak plasma rich in various types of instabilities. We consider a thin tokamak plasma in a Maxwellian equilibrium, subjected to a small arbitrary perturbation. Within the framework of kinetic theory, we demonstrate the emergence of short time scale algebraic instabilities evolving in a stable magnetized plasma. We show that the linearized governing operator (Vlasov operator) is non-normal leading to the transient growth of the perturbations on the time scale of several plasma periods that is subsequently followed by Landau damping. We calculate the first-order distribution function and the electric field and study the dependence of the transient growth characteristics on the magnetic field strength and perturbation parameters of the system. We compare our results with uniformly magnetized plasma and field-free Vlasov plasma.

Excitation of an instability by neutral particle ionization induced fluxes in the tokamak edge plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bachmann, P.; Sunder, D.

1991-01-01

Strong density and potential fluctuations in the edge plasma of toroidal nuclear fusion devices can lead to anomalously fast particle and energy transport. There are some reasons to assume the level of these fluctuations to be connected with neutral particles which enter the plasma by gas puffing or recycling processes. The influence of neutral particles on the behaviour of electrostatic drift modes was investigated. Using the ballooning transformation the excitation of dissipative drift waves in tokamak was studied taking ionization and charge exchange into consideration. Ionization driven drift wave turbulence was analyzed. The higher the neutral particle density is the more important the plasma-wall interaction and the less important the action of the limiter becomes. Instabilities localized in the edge plasma and far from the limiter can be one of the reasons of such a phenomenon. In the present paper we show that such an instability may exist. Usually the neutral particle density is large in the vicinity of the limiter and decreases rapidly with the distance from it. Plasma particles generated by ionization of these neutrals outside the limiter shadow, move along the magnetic field lines into a region without neutrals and diffuse slowly across the magnetic field. We solve the stability problem for modes with a perpendicular wave length that is much larger than the ion Larmor radius with electron temperature, and much smaller than the minor plasma radius. The excitation of such modes localized far from the limiter is investigated. A one-dimensional differential equation is derived in the cold ion approximation without taking shear and toroidal effects into consideration. In the case of low flow velocities a nearly aperiodic instability is found analytically. Its growth rate is proportional to the equilibrium plasma velocity at the boundary of the neutral particle's free region and to the inverse of the extension of this zone. This mode is localized in the edge

Quantum-Mechanical Calculation of Ionization-Potential Lowering in Dense Plasmas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sang-Kil Son (손상길

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The charged environment within a dense plasma leads to the phenomenon of ionization-potential depression (IPD for ions embedded in the plasma. Accurate predictions of the IPD effect are of crucial importance for modeling atomic processes occurring within dense plasmas. Several theoretical models have been developed to describe the IPD effect, with frequently discrepant predictions. Only recently, first experiments on IPD in Al plasma have been performed with an x-ray free-electron laser, where their results were found to be in disagreement with the widely used IPD model by Stewart and Pyatt. Another experiment on Al, at the Orion laser, showed disagreement with the model by Ecker and Kröll. This controversy shows a strong need for a rigorous and consistent theoretical approach to calculate the IPD effect. Here, we propose such an approach: a two-step Hartree-Fock-Slater model. With this parameter-free model, we can accurately and efficiently describe the experimental Al data and validate the accuracy of standard IPD models. Our model can be a useful tool for calculating atomic properties within dense plasmas with wide-ranging applications to studies on warm dense matter, shock experiments, planetary science, inertial confinement fusion, and nonequilibrium plasmas created with x-ray free-electron lasers.

Highly ionized physical vapor deposition plasma source working at very low pressure

Science.gov (United States)

Stranak, V.; Herrendorf, A.-P.; Drache, S.; Cada, M.; Hubicka, Z.; Tichy, M.; Hippler, R.

2012-04-01

Highly ionized discharge for physical vapor deposition at very low pressure is presented in the paper. The discharge is generated by electron cyclotron wave resonance (ECWR) which assists with ignition of high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) discharge. The magnetron gun (with Ti target) was built into the single-turn coil RF electrode of the ECWR facility. ECWR assistance provides pre-ionization effect which allows significant reduction of pressure during HiPIMS operation down to p = 0.05 Pa; this is nearly more than an order of magnitude lower than at typical pressure ranges of HiPIMS discharges. We can confirm that nearly all sputtered particles are ionized (only Ti+ and Ti++ peaks are observed in the mass scan spectra). This corresponds well with high plasma density ne ˜ 1018 m-3, measured during the HiPIMS pulse.

Highly ionized physical vapor deposition plasma source working at very low pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stranak, V.; Herrendorf, A.-P.; Drache, S.; Hippler, R.; Cada, M.; Hubicka, Z.; Tichy, M.

2012-01-01

Highly ionized discharge for physical vapor deposition at very low pressure is presented in the paper. The discharge is generated by electron cyclotron wave resonance (ECWR) which assists with ignition of high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) discharge. The magnetron gun (with Ti target) was built into the single-turn coil RF electrode of the ECWR facility. ECWR assistance provides pre-ionization effect which allows significant reduction of pressure during HiPIMS operation down to p = 0.05 Pa; this is nearly more than an order of magnitude lower than at typical pressure ranges of HiPIMS discharges. We can confirm that nearly all sputtered particles are ionized (only Ti + and Ti ++ peaks are observed in the mass scan spectra). This corresponds well with high plasma density n e ∼ 10 18 m -3 , measured during the HiPIMS pulse.

Studies on the propagation of relativistic plasma waves in high density plasmas produced by hypersonic ionizing shock waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, R.L.; Johnson, J.A. III

1993-01-01

The feasibility of using an ionizing shock wave to produce high density plasmas suitable for the propagation large amplitude relativistic plasma waves is being investigated. A 20 kv arc driven shock tube of coaxial geometry produces a hypersonic shock wave (10 p > 10 17 cm -3 ). The shock can be made to reflect off the end of the tube, collide with its wake, and thus increase the plasma density further. After reflecting, the plasma is at rest. The shock speed is measured using piezoelectric pressure probes and the ion density is measured using laser induced fluorescence (LIF) techniques on argon 488.0 nm and 422.8 nm lines. The future plans are to excite large amplitude relativistic plasma waves in this plasma by either injecting a short pulse laser (Laser Wake Field Scheme), two beating lasers (Plasma Beat Wave Scheme), or a short bunch of relativistic electrons (Plasma Wake Field Scheme). Results of recent computational and theoretical studies, as well as initial experimental measurements on the plasma using LIF, are reported. Implications for the application of high density plasmas produced in this way to such novel schemes as the plasma wave accelerator, photon accelerator, plasma wave undulator, and also plasma lens, are discussed. The effect of plasma turbulence is also discussed

A possibility of local measurements of ion temperature in a high-temperature plasma by laser induced ionization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kantor, M

2012-01-01

A new diagnostic for local measurements of ion temperature and drift velocity in fusion plasmas is proposed in the paper. The diagnostic is based on laser induced ionization of excited hydrogen and deuterium atoms from the levels which ionization energy less than the laser photon energy. A high intensive laser beam ionizes nearly all the excited atoms in the beam region resulting in a quench of spontaneous line emission of the appropriate optical transitions. The measurements of the quenching emission have been used in the past for local measurements of hydrogen atom density in tokamak plasma. The idea of the new diagnostic is spectral resolution of the quenching emission. The measured spectrum relates directly to the velocity distribution of the excited atoms. This distribution is strongly coupled to the distribution of the hydrogen atoms at the ground state. So, the spectral resolution of quenching emission is a way of local measurements of the temperature and drift velocity of hydrogen atoms in plasma. The temperature of hydrogen atoms is well coupled to the local ion temperature as long as the mean free path of the atoms is shorter than the ion gradient length in plasma. In this case the new diagnostic can provide local measurements of ion temperature in plasma. The paper considers technical capabilities of the diagnostic, physical restrictions of its application and interpretation of the measurements.

Fluid description of multi-component solar partially ionized plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khomenko, E.; Collados, M.; Vitas, N.; Díaz, A.

2014-01-01

We derive self-consistent formalism for the description of multi-component partially ionized solar plasma, by means of the coupled equations for the charged and neutral components for an arbitrary number of chemical species, and the radiation field. All approximations and assumptions are carefully considered. Generalized Ohm's law is derived for the single-fluid and two-fluid formalism. Our approach is analytical with some order-of-magnitude support calculations. After general equations are developed, we particularize to some frequently considered cases as for the interaction of matter and radiation

Highly ionized plasma plume generation by long-pulse CO2 laser irradiation of solid targets in strong axial magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoffman, A.L.; Crawford, E.A.

1982-01-01

The present work utilizes high f number optics and is directed primarily at controlling the conditions in the magnetically confined plume. Typically, fully ionized carbon plasmas have been produced with 10 18 cm -3 electron densities and 100 to 150 eV electron temperatures. These carbon plasmas have been doped with high Z atoms in order to study ionization and emission rates at the above conditions

MULTI-FLUID APPROACH TO HIGH-FREQUENCY WAVES IN PLASMAS. I. SMALL-AMPLITUDE REGIME IN FULLY IONIZED MEDIUM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martínez-Gómez, David; Soler, Roberto; Terradas, Jaume, E-mail: david.martinez@uib.es [Departament de Física, Universitat de les Illes Balears, E-07122, Palma de Mallorca (Spain)

2016-12-01

Ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) provides an accurate description of low-frequency Alfvén waves in fully ionized plasmas. However, higher-frequency waves in many plasmas of the solar atmosphere cannot be correctly described by ideal MHD and a more accurate model is required. Here, we study the properties of small-amplitude incompressible perturbations in both the low- and the high-frequency ranges in plasmas composed of several ionized species. We use a multi-fluid approach and take into account the effects of collisions between ions and the inclusion of Hall’s term in the induction equation. Through the analysis of the corresponding dispersion relations and numerical simulations, we check that at high frequencies ions of different species are not as strongly coupled as in the low-frequency limit. Hence, they cannot be treated as a single fluid. In addition, elastic collisions between the distinct ionized species are not negligible for high-frequency waves, since an appreciable damping is obtained. Furthermore, Coulomb collisions between ions remove the cyclotron resonances and the strict cutoff regions, which are present when collisions are not taken into account. The implications of these results for the modeling of high-frequency waves in solar plasmas are discussed.

Simulating plasma production from hypervelocity impacts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fletcher, Alex, E-mail: alexcf@stanford.edu; Close, Sigrid [Stanford University, Aeronautics and Astronautics, 496 Lomita Mall, Stanford, California 94305 (United States); Mathias, Donovan [NASA Ames Research Center, Bldg. 258, Moffett Field, California 94035 (United States)

2015-09-15

Hypervelocity particles, such as meteoroids and space debris, routinely impact spacecraft and are energetic enough to vaporize and ionize themselves and as well as a portion of the target material. The resulting plasma rapidly expands into the surrounding vacuum. While plasma measurements from hypervelocity impacts have been made using ground-based technologies such as light gas guns and Van de Graaff dust accelerators, some of the basic plasma properties vary significantly between experiments. There have been both ground-based and in-situ measurements of radio frequency (RF) emission from hypervelocity impacts, but the physical mechanism responsible and the possible connection to the impact-produced plasma are not well understood. Under certain conditions, the impact-produced plasma can have deleterious effects on spacecraft electronics by providing a new current path, triggering an electrostatic discharge, causing electromagnetic interference, or generating an electromagnetic pulse. Multi-physics simulations of plasma production from hypervelocity impacts are presented. These simulations incorporate elasticity and plasticity of the solid target, phase change and plasma formation, and non-ideal plasma physics due to the high density and low temperature of the plasma. A smoothed particle hydrodynamics method is used to perform a continuum dynamics simulation with these additional physics. By examining a series of hypervelocity impacts, basic properties of the impact produced plasma plume (density, temperature, expansion speed, charge state) are determined for impactor speeds between 10 and 72 km/s. For a large range of higher impact speeds (30–72 km/s), we find the temperature is unvarying at 2.5 eV. We also find that the plasma plume is weakly ionized for impact speeds less than 14 km/s and fully ionized for impact speeds greater than 20 km/s, independent of impactor mass. This is the same velocity threshold for the detection of RF emission in recent

Characteristics of the self-excited ionization waves in a magnetized positive column

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maruyama, Takeo; Yamamura, Yasuhiro; Takano, Saburo; Miura, Kosuke; Imazu, Shingo.

1979-01-01

In the past, metastable atoms were not considered in the investigations of ionization waves generated in a positive column weakly ionized. However, metastable atoms seem to be important for the generation of ionization waves, and there are many unknown factors. In this paper, the fundamental equations and dispersion relation are explained under the assumption of axi-symmetrical positive column plasma placed in a uniform magnetic field, and the direct ionization frequency and excitation frequency, cumulative ionization coefficient, electron density and metastable atom density, the energy loss factor for electrons, the dependence of plasma quantities on magnetic field and dispersion characteristics are calculated. Experiments have been conducted using Ne gas in a discharge tube of 80 cm long and 1 cm radius with heated oxide cathode. Magnetic field was obtained with a solenoid coil of 75 cm long, 9 cm I.D. and 27 cm O.D. The axially uniform magnetic field was in the range of 35 to 40 cm. As the results, the following points have become clear. (1) The number of waves, angular frequency and phase velocity of ionization waves decrease with the increase of magnetic field. (2) By the consideration of the presence of metastable atoms, the theoretical values were improved pretty well and agreed with the experimental values qualitatively and quantitatively. (3) Longitudinal magnetic field has the effect of suppressing the growth of ionization waves because of the reduction of time and spatial growth rates with the increase of magnetic field. (Wakatsuki, Y.)

Characterization of a Distributed Plasma Ionization Source (DPIS) for Ion Mobility Spectrometry and Mass Spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waltman, Melanie J.; Dwivedi, Prabha; Hill, Herbert; Blanchard, William C.; Ewing, Robert G.

2008-01-01

A recently developed atmospheric pressure ionization source, a distributed plasma ionization source (DPIS), was characterized and compared to commonly used atmospheric pressure ionization sources with both mass spectrometry and ion mobility spectrometry. The source consisted of two electrodes of different sizes separated by a thin dielectric. Application of a high RF voltage across the electrodes generated plasma in air yielding both positive and negative ions depending on the polarity of the applied potential. These reactant ions subsequently ionized the analyte vapors. The reactant ions generated were similar to those created in a conventional point-to-plane corona discharge ion source. The positive reactant ions generated by the source were mass identified as being solvated protons of general formula (H2O)nH+ with (H2O)2H+ as the most abundant reactant ion. The negative reactant ions produced were mass identified primarily as CO3-, NO3-, NO2-, O3- and O2- of various relative intensities. The predominant ion and relative ion ratios varied depending upon source construction and supporting gas flow rates. A few compounds including drugs, explosives and environmental pollutants were selected to evaluate the new ionization source. The source was operated continuously for several months and although deterioration was observed visually, the source continued to produce ions at a rate similar that of the initial conditions. The results indicated that the DPIS may have a longer operating life than a conventional corona discharge.

Ion-collecting sphere in a stationary, weakly magnetized plasma with finite shielding length

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patacchini, Leonardo; Hutchinson, Ian H

2007-01-01

Collisionless ion collection by a negatively biased stationary spherical probe in a finite shielding length plasma is investigated using the Particle in Cell code SCEPTIC, in the presence of a weak magnetic field B. The overall effect of the magnetic field is to reduce the ion current, linearly in |B| for weak enough fields, with a slope steepness increasing with the electron Debye length. The angular current distribution and space-charge buildup strongly depend on the focusing properties of the probe, hence on its potential and the plasma shielding length. In particular, it is found that the concavity of the ion collection flux distribution can reverse sign when the electron Debye length is comparable to or larger than the probe radius (λ De ∼> r p ), provided the ion temperature is much lower than the probe bias (T i p )

Stochastic resonance is applied to quantitative analysis for weak chromatographic signal of glyburide in plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Wei; Xiang Bingren; Wu Yanwei; Shang Erxin

2005-01-01

Based on the theory of stochastic resonance, a new method carried on the quantitive analysis to weak chromatographic signal of glyburide in plasma, which was embedded in the noise background and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of HPLC-UV is enhanced remarkably. This method enhances the quantification limit to 1 ng ml -1 , which is the same as HPLC-MS, and makes it possible to detect the weak signal accurately by HPLC-UV, which was not suitable before. The results showed good recovery and linear range from 1 to 50 ng ml -1 of glyburide in plasma and the method can be used for quantitative analysis of glyburide

Humidity Effects on Fragmentation in Plasma-Based Ambient Ionization Sources.

Science.gov (United States)

Newsome, G Asher; Ackerman, Luke K; Johnson, Kevin J

2016-01-01

Post-plasma ambient desorption/ionization (ADI) sources are fundamentally dependent on surrounding water vapor to produce protonated analyte ions. There are two reports of humidity effects on ADI spectra. However, it is unclear whether humidity will affect all ADI sources and analytes, and by what mechanism humidity affects spectra. Flowing atmospheric pressure afterglow (FAPA) ionization and direct analysis in real time (DART) mass spectra of various surface-deposited and gas-phase analytes were acquired at ambient temperature and pressure across a range of observed humidity values. A controlled humidity enclosure around the ion source and mass spectrometer inlet was used to create programmed humidity and temperatures. The relative abundance and fragmentation of molecular adduct ions for several compounds consistently varied with changing ambient humidity and also were controlled with the humidity enclosure. For several compounds, increasing humidity decreased protonated molecule and other molecular adduct ion fragmentation in both FAPA and DART spectra. For others, humidity increased fragment ion ratios. The effects of humidity on molecular adduct ion fragmentation were caused by changes in the relative abundances of different reagent protonated water clusters and, thus, a change in the average difference in proton affinity between an analyte and the population of water clusters. Control of humidity in ambient post-plasma ion sources is needed to create spectral stability and reproducibility.

Multi-fluid Approach to High-frequency Waves in Plasmas. II. Small-amplitude Regime in Partially Ionized Media

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martínez-Gómez, David; Soler, Roberto; Terradas, Jaume, E-mail: david.martinez@uib.es [Departament de Física, Universitat de les Illes Balears, E-07122, Palma de Mallorca (Spain)

2017-03-01

The presence of neutral species in a plasma has been shown to greatly affect the properties of magnetohydrodynamic waves. For instance, the interaction between ions and neutrals through momentum transfer collisions causes the damping of Alfvén waves and alters their oscillation frequency and phase speed. When the collision frequencies are larger than the frequency of the waves, single-fluid magnetohydrodynamic approximations can accurately describe the effects of partial ionization, since there is a strong coupling between the various species. However, at higher frequencies, the single-fluid models are not applicable and more complex approaches are required. Here, we use a five-fluid model with three ionized and two neutral components, which takes into consideration Hall’s current and Ohm’s diffusion in addition to the friction due to collisions between different species. We apply our model to plasmas composed of hydrogen and helium, and allow the ionization degree to be arbitrary. By analyzing the corresponding dispersion relation and numerical simulations, we study the properties of small-amplitude perturbations. We discuss the effect of momentum transfer collisions on the ion-cyclotron resonances and compare the importance of magnetic resistivity, and ion–neutral and ion–ion collisions on the wave damping at various frequency ranges. Applications to partially ionized plasmas of the solar atmosphere are performed.

Simulation study of the ionizing front in the critical ionization velocity phenomenon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Machida, S.; Goertz, C.K.; Lu, G.

1988-01-01

Simulations of the Critical Ionization Velocity (CIV) for a neutral gas cloud moving across the static magnetic field are made. We treat a low-β plasma and use a 2-1/2 D electrostatic code linked with our Plasma and Neutral Interaction Code (PANIC). Our study is focused on the understanding of the interface between the neutral gas cloud and the surrounding plasma where the strong interaction takes place. We assume the existence of some hot electrons in the ambient plasma to provide a seed ionization for CIV. When the ionization starts a sheath-like structure is formed at the surface of the neutral gas (Ionizing Front). In that region the crossfield component of the electric field causes the electron to E x B drift with a velocity of the order of the neutral gas velocity times the square root of the ion to electron mass ratio. Thus the kinetic energy of the drifting electrons can be large enough for electron impact ionization. In addition a diamagnetic drift of the electron occurs due to the number density and temperature inhomogeneity in the ionization front. These drift currents excite the lower-hybrid waves with the wave k-vectors almost perpendicular to the neutral flow and magnetic field again resulting in electron heating and additional ionization. The overall structure is studied by developing a simple analytic model as well as making simulation runs. (author)

Monte Carlo simulations of ionization potential depression in dense plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stransky, M., E-mail: stransky@fzu.cz [Department of Radiation and Chemical Physics, Institute of Physics ASCR, Na Slovance 2, 182 21 Prague 8 (Czech Republic)

2016-01-15

A particle-particle grand canonical Monte Carlo model with Coulomb pair potential interaction was used to simulate modification of ionization potentials by electrostatic microfields. The Barnes-Hut tree algorithm [J. Barnes and P. Hut, Nature 324, 446 (1986)] was used to speed up calculations of electric potential. Atomic levels were approximated to be independent of the microfields as was assumed in the original paper by Ecker and Kröll [Phys. Fluids 6, 62 (1963)]; however, the available levels were limited by the corresponding mean inter-particle distance. The code was tested on hydrogen and dense aluminum plasmas. The amount of depression was up to 50% higher in the Debye-Hückel regime for hydrogen plasmas, in the high density limit, reasonable agreement was found with the Ecker-Kröll model for hydrogen plasmas and with the Stewart-Pyatt model [J. Stewart and K. Pyatt, Jr., Astrophys. J. 144, 1203 (1966)] for aluminum plasmas. Our 3D code is an improvement over the spherically symmetric simplifications of the Ecker-Kröll and Stewart-Pyatt models and is also not limited to high atomic numbers as is the underlying Thomas-Fermi model used in the Stewart-Pyatt model.

Monte Carlo simulations of ionization potential depression in dense plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stransky, M.

2016-01-01

A particle-particle grand canonical Monte Carlo model with Coulomb pair potential interaction was used to simulate modification of ionization potentials by electrostatic microfields. The Barnes-Hut tree algorithm [J. Barnes and P. Hut, Nature 324, 446 (1986)] was used to speed up calculations of electric potential. Atomic levels were approximated to be independent of the microfields as was assumed in the original paper by Ecker and Kröll [Phys. Fluids 6, 62 (1963)]; however, the available levels were limited by the corresponding mean inter-particle distance. The code was tested on hydrogen and dense aluminum plasmas. The amount of depression was up to 50% higher in the Debye-Hückel regime for hydrogen plasmas, in the high density limit, reasonable agreement was found with the Ecker-Kröll model for hydrogen plasmas and with the Stewart-Pyatt model [J. Stewart and K. Pyatt, Jr., Astrophys. J. 144, 1203 (1966)] for aluminum plasmas. Our 3D code is an improvement over the spherically symmetric simplifications of the Ecker-Kröll and Stewart-Pyatt models and is also not limited to high atomic numbers as is the underlying Thomas-Fermi model used in the Stewart-Pyatt model

Improvement in performance of nonequilibrium disk MHD generator by radio-frequency pre-ionization; Hiheiko disk gata MHD hatsudenki ni okeru koshuha yobi denri wo mochiita seino kaizen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Murakami, T.; Okuno, Y.; Kabashima, S. [Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo (Japan)

1998-03-01

Validity of improvement in performance of a nonequilibrium disk-type MHD generator by applying an additional radio-frequency (rf) electromagnetic field is investigated with r-{theta} two-dimensional numerical simulation. In particular, the structure of the plasma is examined in relation to the generator performance. The inductively coupled pre-ionization at an upper region of the charmer results in the increase of the electron temperature of the plasma. Thus, the nonuniformity of the plasma caused by the ionization instability developing in a weakly ionized seed plasma can be relieved and the fluctuation of the electron temperature and the ionization degree of the seed atoms are also suppressed. As the coil current is increased, the plasma behavior changes from the nonuniform state to the uniform stable state through the unstable transient state. As a result, the enthalpy extraction of the generator is improved. The ratio of the required Joule heating by the rf electric field for the sufficient improvement in the performance to the thermal input of generator is estimated to be about 0.35%. 11 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab.

Using Three-Body Recombination to Extract Electron Temperatures of Ultracold Plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fletcher, R. S.; Zhang, X. L.; Rolston, S. L.

2007-01-01

Three-body recombination, an important collisional process in plasmas, increases dramatically at low electron temperatures, with an accepted scaling of T e -9/2 . We measure three-body recombination in an ultracold neutral xenon plasma by detecting recombination-created Rydberg atoms using a microwave-ionization technique. With the accepted theory (expected to be applicable for weakly coupled plasmas) and our measured rates, we extract the plasma temperatures, which are in reasonable agreement with previous measurements early in the plasma lifetime. The resulting electron temperatures indicate that the plasma continues to cool to temperatures below 1 K

The critical ionization velocity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raadu, M.A.

1980-06-01

The critical ionization velocity effect was first proposed in the context of space plasmas. This effect occurs for a neutral gas moving through a magnetized plasma and leads to rapid ionization and braking of the relative motion when a marginal velocity, 'the critical velocity', is exceeded. Laboratory experiments have clearly established the significance of the critical velocity and have provided evidence for an underlying mechanism which relies on the combined action of electron impact ionization and a collective plasma interaction heating electrons. There is experimental support for such a mechanism based on the heating of electrons by the modified two-stream instability as part of a feedback process. Several applications to space plasmas have been proposed and the possibility of space experiments has been discussed. (author)

Ionized gas (plasma) delivery of reactive oxygen species (ROS) into artificial cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, Sung-Ha; Jenkins, A Toby A; Szili, Endre J; Short, Robert D

2014-01-01

This study was designed to enhance our understanding of how reactive oxygen species (ROS), generated ex situ by ionized gas (plasma), can affect the regulation of signalling processes within cells. A model system, comprising of a suspension of phospholipid vesicles (cell mimics) encapsulating a ROS reporter, was developed to study the plasma delivery of ROS into cells. For the first time it was shown that plasma unequivocally delivers ROS into cells over a sustained period and without compromising cell membrane integrity. An important consideration in cell and biological assays is the presence of serum, which significantly reduced the transfer efficiency of ROS into the vesicles. These results are key to understanding how plasma treatments can be tailored for specific medical or biotechnology applications. Further, the phospholipid vesicle ROS reporter system may find use in other studies involving the application of free radicals in biology and medicine. (fast track communication)

Ionized gas (plasma) delivery of reactive oxygen species (ROS) into artificial cells

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Sung-Ha; Szili, Endre J.; Jenkins, A. Toby A.; Short, Robert D.

2014-09-01

This study was designed to enhance our understanding of how reactive oxygen species (ROS), generated ex situ by ionized gas (plasma), can affect the regulation of signalling processes within cells. A model system, comprising of a suspension of phospholipid vesicles (cell mimics) encapsulating a ROS reporter, was developed to study the plasma delivery of ROS into cells. For the first time it was shown that plasma unequivocally delivers ROS into cells over a sustained period and without compromising cell membrane integrity. An important consideration in cell and biological assays is the presence of serum, which significantly reduced the transfer efficiency of ROS into the vesicles. These results are key to understanding how plasma treatments can be tailored for specific medical or biotechnology applications. Further, the phospholipid vesicle ROS reporter system may find use in other studies involving the application of free radicals in biology and medicine.

Quantitation of tamsulosin in human plasma by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Din, Li; Li, Limin; Tao, Ping; Yang, Jin; Zhang, Zhengxing

2002-02-05

A highly sensitive method for quantitation of tamsulosin in human plasma using 1-(2,6-dimethyl-3-hydroxylphenoxy)-2-(3,4-methoxyphenylethylamino)-propane hydrochloride as the internal standard (I.S.) was established using liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS). After alkalization with saturated sodium bicarbonate, plasma were extracted by ethyl acetate and separated by HPLC on a C18 reversed-phase column using a mobile phase of methanol-water-acetic acid-triethylamine (620:380:1.5:1.5, v/v). Analytes were quantitated using positive electrospray ionization in a quadrupole spectrometer. LC-ESI-MS was performed in the selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode using target ions at m/z 228 for tamsulosin and m/z 222 for the I.S. Calibration curves, which were linear over the range 0.2-30 ng/ml, were analyzed contemporaneously with each batch of samples, along with low (0.5 ng/ml), medium (3 ng/ml) and high (30 ng/ml) quality control samples. The intra- and inter-assay variability ranged from 2.14 to 8.87% for the low, medium and high quality control samples. The extraction recovery of tamsulosin from plasma was in the range of 84.2-94.5%. The method has been used successfully to study tamsulosin pharmacokinetics in adult humans.

Aerospace Applications of Non-Equilibrium Plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Blankson, Isaiah M.

2016-01-01

Nonequilibrium plasma/non-thermal plasma/cold plasmas are being used in a wide range of new applications in aeronautics, active flow control, heat transfer reduction, plasma-assisted ignition and combustion, noise suppression, and power generation. Industrial applications may be found in pollution control, materials surface treatment, and water purification. In order for these plasma processes to become practical, efficient means of ionization are necessary. A primary challenge for these applications is to create a desired non-equilibrium plasma in air by preventing the discharge from transitioning into an arc. Of particular interest is the impact on simulations and experimental data with and without detailed consideration of non-equilibrium effects, and the consequences of neglecting non-equilibrium. This presentation will provide an assessment of the presence and influence of non-equilibrium phenomena for various aerospace needs and applications. Specific examples to be considered will include the forward energy deposition of laser-induced non-equilibrium plasmoids for sonic boom mitigation, weakly ionized flows obtained from pulsed nanosecond discharges for an annular Hall type MHD generator duct for turbojet energy bypass, and fundamental mechanisms affecting the design and operation of novel plasma-assisted reactive systems in dielectric liquids (water purification, in-pipe modification of fuels, etc.).

Influence of Ionization Degrees on the Evolutions of Charged Particles in Atmospheric Plasma at Low Altitude

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pang Xuexia; Deng Zechao; Jia Pengying; Liang Weihua; Li Xia

2012-01-01

A zero-dimensional model which includes 56 species of reactants and 427 reactions is used to study the behavior of charged particles in atmospheric plasmas with different ionization degrees at low altitude (near 0 km). The constant coefficient nonlinear equations are solved by using the Quasi-steady-state approximation method. The electron lifetimes are obtained for afterglow plasma with different initial values, and the temporal evolutions of the main charged species are presented, which are dominant in reaction processes. The results show that the electron number density decays quickly. The lifetimes of electrons are shortened by about two orders with increasing ionization degree. Electrons then attach to neutral particles and produce negative ions. When the initial electron densities are in the range of 10 10 ∼ 10 14 cm −3 , the negative ions have sufficiently high densities and long lifetimes for air purification, disinfection and sterilization. Electrons, O 2 − , O 4 − , CO 4 − and CO 3 − are the dominant negative species when the initial electron density n e0 ≤ 10 13 cm −3 , and only electrons and CO 3 − are left when n e0 ≥ 10 15 cm −3 · N + 2 , N + 4 and O + 2 are dominant in the positive charges for any ionization degree. Other positive species, such as O + 4 , N + 3 , NO + , NO + 2 , Ar + 2 and H 3 O + ·H 2 O, are dominant only for a certain ionization degree and in a certain period. (low temperature plasma)

Calculations on charge state and energy loss of argon ions in partially and fully ionized carbon plasmas.

Science.gov (United States)

Barriga-Carrasco, Manuel D; Casas, David; Morales, Roberto

2016-03-01

The energy loss of argon ions in a target depends on their velocity and charge density. At the energies studied in this work, it depends mostly on the free and bound electrons in the target. Here the random-phase approximation is used for analyzing free electrons at any degeneracy. For the plasma-bound electrons, an interpolation between approximations for low and high energies is applied. The Brandt-Kitagawa (BK) model is employed to depict the projectile charge space distribution, and the stripping criterion of Kreussler et al. is used to determine its equilibrium charge state Q(eq). This latter criterion implies that the equilibrium charge state depends slightly on the electron density and temperature of the plasma. On the other hand, the effective charge Q(eff) is obtained as the ratio between the energy loss of the argon ion and that of the proton for the same plasma conditions. This effective charge Q(eff) is larger than the equilibrium charge state Q(eq) due to the incorporation of the BK charge distribution. Though our charge-state estimations are not exactly the same as the experimental values, our energy loss agrees quite well with the experiments. It is noticed that the energy loss in plasmas is higher than that in the same cold target of about, ∼42-62.5% and increases with carbon plasma ionization. This confirms the well-known enhanced plasma stopping. It is also observed that only a small part of this energy loss enhancement is due to an increase of the argon charge state, namely only ∼2.2 and 5.1%, for the partially and the fully ionized plasma, respectively. The other contribution is connected with a better energy transfer to the free electrons at plasma state than to the bound electrons at solid state of about, ∼38.8-57.4%, where higher values correspond to a fully ionized carbon plasma.

New Paradigm for Plasma Crystal Formation with weak grain interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsytovich, V.N.; Morfill, G.E.

2005-01-01

New results for non-linear grain screening, non-linear ion drag and non-linear collective attractions appropriate for existing experiments are used for the first time together to explain the observed phenomena of plasma condensation. Based on the physics of collective non-linear grain attraction a paradigm for plasma crystal formation is formulated according to which plasma the crystal formation is due to localization of grains in weak non-linear collective attraction wells. Nonlinearity in screening is an important feature of new paradigm and takes into account that the grain charges are large. The physical consequence of large non-linearity is the presence of relative large attraction potential well at distances several times larger then the non-linear screening radius. Calculated location of the potential well is of the order of the observed inter-grain distances in plasma crystals and the calculated deepness of the potential well determining the temperature of phase transition is close to that observed. The calculations of the deepness of the attraction collective well and the critical value of the coupling constant are performed using an assumption that the collective attraction length is larger than the non-linear screening length. The concept of collective grain interaction in complex plasmas is considered for the case where the non-linear screening is fully determining the collective attraction well

Electrical conductivity of a fully ionized plasma in a magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vaucher, B.; Vaclavik, J.; Schneider, H.

1975-01-01

In this experimental work the authors have investigated the electrical conductivity of a homogeneous fully ionized plasma in a homogeneous magnetic field. In particular, the conductivity perpendicular to the magnetic field was studied by means of the magnetoacoustic resonance for different values of the parameter ωsub(c)/γsub(ei) where ωsub(c) is the electron cyclotron frequency and γsub(ei) is the collision frequency between electrons and ions. (Auth.)

Plasma kinetics issues in an ESA study for a plasma laboratory in space

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Annaratone, B M; Biancalani, A; Ceccherini, F; Pegoraro, F; Bruno, D; Capitelli, M; Pascale, O de; Longo, S; Daly, E; Hilgers, A; Diomede, P; D'Ammando, G; Marcuccio, S; Mendonca, J T; Nagnibeda, V; Sanmartin, J R

2008-01-01

A study supported by the European Space Agency (ESA), in the context of its General Studies Programme, performed an investigation of the possible use of space for studies in pure and applied plasma physics, in areas not traditionally covered by 'space plasma physics'. A set of experiments have been identified that can potentially provide access to new phenomena and to allow advances in several fields of plasma science. These experiments concern phenomena on a spatial scale (10 1 -10 4 m) intermediate between what is achievable on the ground and the usual solar system plasma observations. Detailed feasibility studies have been performed for three experiments: active magnetic experiments, large-scale discharges and long tether-plasma interactions. The perspectives opened by these experiments are discussed for magnetic reconnection, instabilities, MHD turbulence, atomic excited states kinetics, weakly ionized plasmas, plasma diagnostics, artificial auroras and atmospheric studies. The discussion is also supported by results of numerical simulations and estimates

MAGNETIC RECONNECTION IN NON-EQUILIBRIUM IONIZATION PLASMA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Imada, S.; Shimizu, T.; Murakami, I.; Watanabe, T.; Hara, H.

2011-01-01

We have studied the effect of time-dependent ionization and the recombination processes on magnetic reconnection in the solar corona. Petschek-type steady reconnection, in which the magnetic energy is mainly converted at the slow-mode shocks, was assumed. We carried out the time-dependent ionization calculation in the magnetic reconnection structure. We only calculated the transient ionization of iron; the other species were assumed to be in ionization equilibrium. The intensity of line emissions at specific wavelengths was also calculated for comparison with Hinode or other observations in future. We found the following: (1) iron is mostly in non-equilibrium ionization in the reconnection region; (2) the intensity of line emission estimated by the time-dependent ionization calculation is significantly different from that determined from the ionization equilibrium assumption; (3) the effect of time-dependent ionization is sensitive to the electron density in the case where the electron density is less than 10 10 cm –3 ; (4) the effect of thermal conduction lessens the time-dependent ionization effect; and (5) the effect of radiative cooling is negligibly small even if we take into account time-dependent ionization.

A consistent model for the equilibrium thermodynamic functions of partially ionized flibe plasma with Coulomb corrections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaghloul, Mofreh R.

2003-01-01

Flibe (2LiF-BeF2) is a molten salt that has been chosen as the coolant and breeding material in many design studies of the inertial confinement fusion (ICF) chamber. Flibe plasmas are to be generated in the ICF chamber in a wide range of temperatures and densities. These plasmas are more complex than the plasma of any single chemical species. Nevertheless, the composition and thermodynamic properties of the resulting flibe plasmas are needed for the gas dynamics calculations and the determination of other design parameters in the ICF chamber. In this paper, a simple consistent model for determining the detailed plasma composition and thermodynamic functions of high-temperature, fully dissociated and partially ionized flibe gas is presented and used to calculate different thermodynamic properties of interest to fusion applications. The computed properties include the average ionization state; kinetic pressure; internal energy; specific heats; adiabatic exponent, as well as the sound speed. The presented results are computed under the assumptions of local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) and electro-neutrality. A criterion for the validity of the LTE assumption is presented and applied to the computed results. Other attempts in the literature are assessed with their implied inaccuracies pointed out and discussed

Ratio of bulk to shear viscosity in a quasigluon plasma: from weak to strong coupling

CERN Document Server

Bluhm, M; Redlich, K

2012-01-01

The ratio of bulk to shear viscosity is expected to exhibit a different behaviour in weakly and in strongly coupled systems. This can be expressed by the dependence of the ratio on the squared sound velocity. In the high temperature QCD plasma at small running coupling, the viscosity ratio is uniquely determined by a quadratic dependence on the conformality measure, whereas in certain strongly coupled and nearly conformal theories this dependence is linear. Employing an effective kinetic theory of quasiparticle excitations with medium-modified dispersion relation, we analyze the ratio of bulk to shear viscosity of the gluon plasma. We show that in this approach the viscosity ratio comprises both dependencies found by means of weak coupling perturbative and strong coupling holographic techniques.

Basic Properties of Plasma-Neutral Coupling in the Solar Atmosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Goodman, Michael

2015-04-01

Plasma-neutral coupling (PNC) in the solar atmosphere concerns the effects of collisions between charged and neutral species’. It is most important in the chromosphere, which is the weakly ionized, strongly magnetized region between the weakly ionized, weakly magnetized photosphere and the strongly ionized, strongly magnetized corona. The charged species’ are mainly electrons, protons, and singly charged heavy ions. The neutral species’ are mainly hydrogen and helium. The resistivity due to PNC can be several orders of magnitude larger than the Spitzer resistivity. This enhanced resistivity is confined to the chromosphere, and provides a highly efficient dissipation mechanism unique to the chromosphere. PNC may play an important role in many processes such as heating and acceleration of plasma; wave generation, propagation, and dissipation; magnetic reconnection; maintaining the near force-free state of the corona; and limiting mass flux into the corona. It might play a major role in chromospheric heating, and be responsible for the existence of the chromosphere as a relatively thin layer of plasma that emits a net radiative flux 10-100 times greater than that of the overlying corona. The required heating rate might be generated by Pedersen current dissipation triggered by the rapid increase of magnetization with height in the lower chromosphere, where most of the net radiative flux is emitted. Relatively cool regions of the chromosphere might be regions of minimal Pedersen current dissipation due to smaller magnetic field strength or perpendicular current density. This talk will discuss PNC from an MHD point of view, and focus on the basic parameters that determine its effectiveness. These parameters are ionization fraction, magnetization, and the electric field that drives current perpendicular to the magnetic field. By influencing this current and the electric field that drives it, PNC directly influences the rate at which energy is exchanged between the

Evidence for the buffer zone in a plasma accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, K.A.; Clothiaux, E.J.

1991-01-01

The existence of an absorbing layer, or buffer zone, of weakly ionized gas between the rear of the projectile and the front of the plasma arc armature in a plasma accelerator has been postulated. In the studies reported here a technique for finding the position of the projectile as a function of time is given and compared to the plasma armature position as determined by inductive probes. Analyses of these signals provide the basis for a description of the in-bore motion of the projectile with respect to the plasma arc armature. The experimental evidence appears to support the existence of a buffer zone

Multiphoton ionization for hydrogen plasma diagnostics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonnie, J.H.M.

1987-01-01

In this thesis the processes leading to the formation of negative ions (H - ) in hydrogen discharges are studied. These ions enable efficient production of a beam of fast neutral particles. Such beams are applied in nuclear fusion research. A model has been generally accepted in which H - is formed by means of dissociative attachment (DA) of electrons to vibrationally excited hydrogen molecules [H 2 (υ'')] molecule: when υ'' is low, electron emission is most probable, but when υ'' is high, H - production dominates. A necessary preliminary to the DA process is the presence of sufficient [H 2 (υ'')] molecules with υ'' > 4. By determining the densities of hydrogen molecules in the various vibrational levels as a function of the various discharge parameters (scaling laws), insight can be gained into the extent to which the DA process contributes to H - formation. Since the de-excitation of [H 2 (υ'')] molecules by H atoms is expected to have a large cross section, it is also relevant to determine the scaling laws for atomic hydrogen. This thesis gives an account of the development of an experimental setup for obtaining such measurements, and reports the first results achieved. In view of the anticipated density of the vibrationally excited molecules and the detection limit considered feasible, the diagnostic chosen was resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI). The principle is based on state-selective ionization with REMPI of particles effusing from the discharge chamber through an aperture in the wall. The ions produced in the REMPI-process are then detected. The use of both an electric and a magnetic field makes it possible to distinguish the REMPI ions from those originating elsewhere, such as plasma ions or photodesorption ions. 145 refs.; 25 figs.; 6 tabs

Investigation of the Hall MHD channel operating with the ionized instable plasma of inert gases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasi'leva, R.V.; D'yakova, E.A.; Erofeev, A.V.; Zuev, A.D.; Lapushkina, T.A.; Markhotok, A.A.

1997-01-01

Possibility of applying ionization-instable plasma of pure inert gases as perspective working substance for closed-cycle MHD generators is studied. The experiment was produced in the model of the disk Hall MHD channel. The ionized gas flux was produced in a shock tube. Xenon was used as a working substance. Gas pressure, flux velocity, electron concentration and temperature, azimuthal current density, potential distribution in the channel and near-electrode voltage drop values were measured in the experiment. Volt-ampere characteristics were taken by various indices of magnetic field and load resistance

Penetration of magnetic fields into plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bengtson, R.D.

1976-01-01

A pulsed plasma experiment was constructed to study the penetration of a fast-rising magnetic pulse into an initially unmagnetized, weakly ionized plasma of density 10 11 to 10 13 cm -3 . Magnetic probe data was analyzed using a magnetohydrodynamic approach to obtain detailed information about the dynamics of the penetration mechanism. In particular it is possible to obtain the local resistivity and thus the collision frequency from this data. These collision frequencies compare favorably with theoretical estimates of turbulent collision frequencies. The data indicates that sufficient energy is absorbed to heat the bulk of the plasma to temeratures in excess of 1 keV. A differential rotation of a collisionless theta-pinch column during implosion has been observed and explained by a model in which the driving mechanism is the off-diagonal element p/sub r theta/ of the pressure tensor. Rotational motion was detected by directional probes and spectroscopic techniques. Experimental data were modeled by a one-dimensional hybrid code which included ionization and charge exchange of protons with neutral H atoms

Plasma oscillations and sound waves in collision-dominated two-component plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hansen, J.P.; Sjoegren, L.

1982-01-01

Charge, mass, and electron density fluctuation spectra of strongly correlated, fully ionized two-component plasmas within the framework of the Mori--Zwanzig memory function formalism are analyzed. All dynamical correlation functions are expressed in terms of the memory functions of the ion and electron velocity autocorrelation functions by a generalized effective field approximation which preserves the exact initial values (i.e., static correlations). The theory reduces correctly to the mean field (or collisionless Vlasov) results in the weak coupling limit, and yields charge density fluctuation spectra in good agreement with available computer simulation data, as well as reasonable estimates of the transport coefficients. The collisional damping and frequency shift of the plasma oscillation mode are sizeable, even in the long wavelength limit. The theory also predicts the propagation of well-defined sound waves in dense plasmas in thermal equilibrium

Spectroscopy and atomic physics of highly ionized Cr, Fe, and Ni for tokamak plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Feldman, U.; Doschek, G. A.; Cheng, C.-C.; Bhatia, A. K.

1980-01-01

The paper considers the spectroscopy and atomic physics for some highly ionized Cr, Fe, and Ni ions produced in tokamak plasmas. Forbidden and intersystem wavelengths for Cr and Ni ions are extrapolated and interpolated using the known wavelengths for Fe lines identified in solar-flare plasmas. Tables of transition probabilities for the B I, C I, N I, O I, and F I isoelectronic sequences are presented, and collision strengths and transition probabilities for Cr, Fe, and Ni ions of the Be I sequence are given. Similarities of tokamak and solar spectra are discussed, and it is shown how the atomic data presented may be used to determine ion abundances and electron densities in low-density plasmas.

The effect of dielectric tube diameter on the propagation velocity of ionization waves in a He atmospheric-pressure micro-plasma jet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Talviste, Rasmus; Jõgi, Indrek; Raud, Jüri; Paris, Peeter

2016-01-01

The focus of this study was to investigate the effect of the dielectric tube diameter on the velocity of the ionization wave in an atmospheric pressure plasma jet in He gas flow. Plasma was ignited in quartz tubes with inner diameter in the range of 80–500 μm by 6 kHz sinusoidal voltage applied to a cylindrical electrode surrounding the quartz tube and positioned 10 mm from the tube orifice. A grounded plane was placed 2–3 cm downstream from the powered electrode to measure the plasma current. The spatial development of ionization waves was monitored by registering the optical emission along the axis of the tube. The ionization wave velocity was deduced from the temporal shift of the onset of radiation at different axial positions. The velocity of ionization wave increased by almost an order of magnitude with the tube diameter decreasing from 500 to 80 μm and was for the 80 μm microtube 1.7 · 10 5 m s −1 during the positive half-cycle and 1.45 · 10 5 m s −1 during the negative half-cycle. (paper)

Parametrization of the average ionization and radiative cooling rates of carbon plasmas in a wide range of density and temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gil, J.M.; Rodriguez, R.; Florido, R.; Rubiano, J.G.; Mendoza, M.A.; Nuez, A. de la; Espinosa, G.; Martel, P.; Minguez, E.

2013-01-01

In this work we present an analysis of the influence of the thermodynamic regime on the monochromatic emissivity, the radiative power loss and the radiative cooling rate for optically thin carbon plasmas over a wide range of electron temperature and density assuming steady state situations. Furthermore, we propose analytical expressions depending on the electron density and temperature for the average ionization and cooling rate based on polynomial fittings which are valid for the whole range of plasma conditions considered in this work. -- Highlights: ► We compute the average ionization, cooling rates and emissivities of carbon plasmas. ► We compare LTE and NLTE calculations of these magnitudes. ► We perform a parametrization of these magnitudes in a wide range of plasma conditions. ► We provide information about where LTE regime assumption is accurate

Nonlinear Waveforms for Ion-Acoustic Waves in Weakly Relativistic Plasma of Warm Ion-Fluid and Isothermal Electrons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. A. El-Wakil

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The reductive perturbation method has been employed to derive the Korteweg-de Vries (KdV equation for small- but finite-amplitude electrostatic ion-acoustic waves in weakly relativistic plasma consisting of warm ions and isothermal electrons. An algebraic method with computerized symbolic computation is applied in obtaining a series of exact solutions of the KdV equation. Numerical studies have been made using plasma parameters which reveal different solutions, that is, bell-shaped solitary pulses, rational pulses, and solutions with singularity at finite points, which called “blowup” solutions in addition to the propagation of an explosive pulses. The weakly relativistic effect is found to significantly change the basic properties (namely, the amplitude and the width of the ion-acoustic waves. The result of the present investigation may be applicable to some plasma environments, such as ionosphere region.

Battery-powered pulsed high density inductively coupled plasma source for pre-ionization in laboratory astrophysics experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaplin, Vernon H; Bellan, Paul M

2015-07-01

An electrically floating radiofrequency (RF) pre-ionization plasma source has been developed to enable neutral gas breakdown at lower pressures and to access new experimental regimes in the Caltech laboratory astrophysics experiments. The source uses a customized 13.56 MHz class D RF power amplifier that is powered by AA batteries, allowing it to safely float at 3-6 kV with the electrodes of the high voltage pulsed power experiments. The amplifier, which is capable of 3 kW output power in pulsed (<1 ms) operation, couples electrical energy to the plasma through an antenna external to the 1.1 cm radius discharge tube. By comparing the predictions of a global equilibrium discharge model with the measured scalings of plasma density with RF power input and axial magnetic field strength, we demonstrate that inductive coupling (rather than capacitive coupling or wave damping) is the dominant energy transfer mechanism. Peak ion densities exceeding 5 × 10(19) m(-3) in argon gas at 30 mTorr have been achieved with and without a background field. Installation of the pre-ionization source on a magnetohydrodynamically driven jet experiment reduced the breakdown time and jitter and allowed for the creation of hotter, faster argon plasma jets than was previously possible.

Optimization of laser-plasma injector via beam loading effects using ionization-induced injection

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, P.; Maynard, G.; Audet, T. L.; Cros, B.; Lehe, R.; Vay, J.-L.

2018-05-01

Simulations of ionization-induced injection in a laser driven plasma wakefield show that high-quality electron injectors in the 50-200 MeV range can be achieved in a gas cell with a tailored density profile. Using the PIC code Warp with parameters close to existing experimental conditions, we show that the concentration of N2 in a hydrogen plasma with a tailored density profile is an efficient parameter to tune electron beam properties through the control of the interplay between beam loading effects and varying accelerating field in the density profile. For a given laser plasma configuration, with moderate normalized laser amplitude, a0=1.6 and maximum electron plasma density, ne 0=4 ×1018 cm-3 , the optimum concentration results in a robust configuration to generate electrons at 150 MeV with a rms energy spread of 4% and a spectral charge density of 1.8 pC /MeV .

Low-energy electron elastic scattering and impact ionization with hydrogenlike helium in Debye plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jun; Zhang, Song Bin; Ye, Bang Jiao; Wang, Jian Guo; Janev, R. K.

2017-09-01

Low-energy electron elastic scattering and impact ionization with hydrogenlike helium in Debye plasmas have been investigated by employing the exterior complex scaling method. The interactions between charged particles in the plasmas have been represented by Debye-Hückel potentials. The 1 s -1 s elastic collision strengths below the n =2 excitation threshold of He+ dominated by resonance structures are calculated for different screening lengths. As the screening strength increases, the resonance peaks studied [2(1,0) 2 +1Se,3Po,1De , and 2(0,1) 2 +1Po] exhibit blueshifts and then redshifts with a further increase of the screening strength, which results in dramatic changes of the collision strengths. It is found that these dynamic variation features of the resonances are related to the changes of energy levels of He+ in the screened potential and geometric configurations of resonances. Triple-differential-ionization cross sections in coplanar geometries at 6-Ry incident electron energy are also reported, significant changes are observed with varying screening length.

Determination of clebopride in plasma by capillary gas chromatography-negative-ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, P R; Jones, M D; Maddock, J

1988-11-18

A procedure for the analysis of clebopride in plasma using capillary gas chromatography-negative-ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry has been developed. Employing an ethoxy analogue as internal standard, the two compounds were extracted from basified plasma using dichloromethane. Subsequent reaction with heptafluorobutyryl imidazole produced volatile monoheptafluorobutyryl derivatives whose ammonia negative-ion mass spectra proved ideal for selected-ion monitoring. The recovery of clebopride from plasma at 0.536 nmol/l was found to be 85.5 +/- 0.9% (n = 3) whilst measurement down to 0.268 nmol/l was possible with a coefficient of variation of 7.9%. Plasma levels of the compound are reported in two volunteers following ingestion of 1 mg of clebopride as the malate salt.

Investigation of Plasmas Having Complex, Dynamic Evolving Morphology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bellan, Paul M. [California Inst. of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States)

2017-01-03

Three different types of plasmas have been investigated using both experimental and theoretical methods. The first type of plasma is dense, highly ionized, governed by magnetohydrodynamics, and highly dynamic. This plasma is relevant to solar coronal loops, astrophysical jets, and other situations where strong magnetic forces act on the plasma. A well-diagnosed laboratory experiment creates a magnetohydrodynamically driven highly collimated plasma jet. This jet undergoes a kink instability such that it rapidly develops a corkscrew shape. The kink causes lateral acceleration of the jet, and this lateral acceleration drives a Rayleigh-Taylor instability that in turn chokes the current flowing in the jet and causes a magnetic reconnection. The magnetic reconnection causes electron and ion heating as well as emission of whistler waves. This entire sequence of events has been observed, measured in detail, and related to theoretical models. The second type of plasma is a transient rf-produced plasma used as a seed plasma for the magnetohydrodynamic experiments described above. Detailed atomic physics ionization processes have been investigated and modeled. The third type of plasma that has been studied is a dusty plasma where the dust particles are spontaneously growing ice grains. The rapid growth of the ice grains to large size and their highly ordered alignment has been investigated as well as collective motion of the ice grains, including well-defined flows on the surface of nested toroids. In addition to the experimental work described above, several related theoretical models have been developed, most notably a model showing how a complex interaction between gravity and magnetic fields on extremely weakly ionized plasma in an accretion disk provides an electric power source that can drive astrophysical jets associated with the accretion disk. Eighteen papers reporting this work have been published in a wide variety of journals.

Investigation of Plasmas Having Complex, Dynamic Evolving Morphology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bellan, Paul M.

2017-01-01

Three different types of plasmas have been investigated using both experimental and theoretical methods. The first type of plasma is dense, highly ionized, governed by magnetohydrodynamics, and highly dynamic. This plasma is relevant to solar coronal loops, astrophysical jets, and other situations where strong magnetic forces act on the plasma. A well-diagnosed laboratory experiment creates a magnetohydrodynamically driven highly collimated plasma jet. This jet undergoes a kink instability such that it rapidly develops a corkscrew shape. The kink causes lateral acceleration of the jet, and this lateral acceleration drives a Rayleigh-Taylor instability that in turn chokes the current flowing in the jet and causes a magnetic reconnection. The magnetic reconnection causes electron and ion heating as well as emission of whistler waves. This entire sequence of events has been observed, measured in detail, and related to theoretical models. The second type of plasma is a transient rf-produced plasma used as a seed plasma for the magnetohydrodynamic experiments described above. Detailed atomic physics ionization processes have been investigated and modeled. The third type of plasma that has been studied is a dusty plasma where the dust particles are spontaneously growing ice grains. The rapid growth of the ice grains to large size and their highly ordered alignment has been investigated as well as collective motion of the ice grains, including well-defined flows on the surface of nested toroids. In addition to the experimental work described above, several related theoretical models have been developed, most notably a model showing how a complex interaction between gravity and magnetic fields on extremely weakly ionized plasma in an accretion disk provides an electric power source that can drive astrophysical jets associated with the accretion disk. Eighteen papers reporting this work have been published in a wide variety of journals.

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

The plasma-wall interaction region: a key low temperature plasma for controlled fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Counsell, G F

2002-01-01

The plasma-wall interaction region of a fusion device provides the interface between the hot core plasma and the material surfaces. To obtain acceptably low levels of erosion from these surfaces requires most of the power leaving the core to be radiated. This is accomplished in existing devices by encouraging plasma detachment, in which the hot plasma arriving in the region is cooled by volume recombination and ion-neutral momentum transfer with a dense population of neutrals recycled from the surface. The result is a low temperature (1 eV e e >10 19 m -3 ) but weakly ionized (n 0 >10 20 m -3 , n e /n 0 <0.1) plasma found nowhere else in the fusion environment. This plasma provides many of the conditions found in industrial plasmas exploiting plasma chemistry and the presence of carbon in the region (in the form of carbon-fibre composite used in the plasma facing materials) can result in the formation of deposited hydrocarbon films. The plasma-wall interaction region is therefore among the most difficult in fusion to model, requiring an understanding of atomic, molecular and surface physics issues

Suppression of fast electron leakage from large openings in a plasma neutralizer for N-NB systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kashiwagi, Mieko; Hanada, Masaya; Yamana, Takashi; Inoue, Takashi; Imai, Tsuyoshi; Taniguchi, Masaki; Watanabe, Kazuhiro

2006-01-01

To produce highly ionized plasmas at low operating pressure in a plasma neutralizer of negative ion based neutral beam (N-NB) systems, it is a critical issue to suppress leakage of fast electrons through large openings as the beam entrance/exit. The authors propose to form weak transverse magnetic fields without a significant beam deflection, called the shield field, across the large openings of the neutralizer. A numerical study showed that the shield field of only few tens of Gauss is sufficient to suppress the fast electron leakage from the openings. By measuring of an electron energy distribution function (EEDF), it was confirmed that such a weak magnetic field is enough to repel the fast electrons back into the neutralizer plasma. As the result, the plasma density increased with the shield field strength and saturated at 30 G. The plasma density reached 50% higher value than that without the shield field. Thus it was found that reflected fast electrons by the shield field of only 30 G work effectively for the plasma generation. It was also estimated that such a weak magnetic field sufficiently suppresses the deflection of a 1 MeV beam. This weak magnetic field would be applicable to the plasma neutralizer for the fusion demonstration (DEMO) plant

Ideal MHD equilibrium of a weakly toroidal plasma column with elongated cross-section

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heesch, E.J.M. van; Schuurman, W.

1980-07-01

Solutions are obtained of the ideal MHD equations describing the equilibrium of a weakly toroidal plasma with an elliptic cross-section surrounded by a force-free magnetic field with constant ratio between current density and magnetic field strength. The force-free field parameter causes the stagnation points to recede along the major axis of the ellipse. Above a certain value of the force-free field parameter, stagnation points do not exist, so that the compression ratio of the plasma column is no longer limited. The analysis was carried out to first order in the force-free field parameter as well as to second order for an estimate of the error

High-frequency conductivity of photoionized plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anakhov, M. V.; Uryupin, S. A., E-mail: uryupin@sci.lebedev.ru [National Research Nuclear University “MEPhI,” (Russian Federation)

2016-08-15

The tensor of the high-frequency conductivity of a plasma created via tunnel ionization of atoms in the field of linearly or circularly polarized radiation is derived. It is shown that the real part of the conductivity tensor is highly anisotropic. In the case of a toroidal velocity distribution of photoelectrons, the possibility of amplification of a weak high-frequency field polarized at a sufficiently large angle to the anisotropy axis of the initial nonequilibrium distribution is revealed.

Determination of Ionization Coefficient of Atmospheric Helium in Dielectric Barrier Discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhuo, Liang; Hai-Yun, Luo; Xin-Xin, Wang; Bo, Lv; Zhi-Cheng, Guan; Li-Ming, Wang

2008-01-01

A weakly luminous layer close to the anode is observed at time far ahead of the current pulse in dielectric barrier discharge of helium at atmospheric pressure and it is considered as the result of a very weak Townsend discharge. Based on the assumption that the space charge produced by this Townsend discharge is too small to distort the uniform electric field in the gas gap, the electrons have more or less the same energy over the entire gap and the spatial distribution of the discharge light is proportional to the distribution of electron density. This light distribution is obtained by processing side-view photograph of discharge gap using an intensified charge coupled device camera with an exposure time of 20 ns. By fitting a theoretically derived formula with the measured curve of light distribution, the Townsend electron ionization coefficient a is determined to be 31 cm −1 at E/p = 3.6 V·cm −1 ·Torr −1 , which is much higher than that obtained by solving the Boltzmann equation of pure helium. It is believed that penning ionization of helium metastables with impurity of nitrogen molecules makes great contribution to the experimentally determined α value. The contribution of this penning ionization to α is roughly estimated. (physics of gases, plasmas, and electric discharges)

Faraday cup for analyzing multi-ion plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujita, Takao

1987-01-01

A compact and convenient ion analyzer (a kind of a Faraday cup) is developed in order to analyze weakly ionized multi-ion plasmas. This Faraday cup consists of three mesh electrodes and a movable ion collector. With a negative gate pulse superimposed on the ion retarding bias, ions are analyzed by means of time-of-flight. The identification of ion species and measurements of ion density and ion temperature are studied. (author)

On polluted by admixtures plasma cloud state diagnostics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Temko, S.W.; Temko, K.W.; Kuz'min, S.K.

1993-01-01

The state of bounded plasma is dependent on perturbations which are caused from changing of inner and outer thermodynamical parameters. The authors describe interactions in a plasma cloud by potential functions. Potential functions are mathematical models of real interactions of particles with each others and with ionized cloud surface. Potential functions define potential energy of corresponding interactions at ionized cloud. Potential functions are sums of far-action and near-action potentials. An ionized cloud is formed under action of inner, outer and surface forces nearly connected with each others. The result of the indicated forces joint action is geometrical form and dimensions of the weakly ionized plasma cloud. Geometrical form of the cloud and its dimensions are able to be changed. They consider only the small changing of small perturbations type. Surface geometrical form and dimensions of the cloud are not given a priori. They are to be obtained by self-consistent problem solving. The self-consistent problem is solved by space non-linear statistical thermodynamics proposed before by the authors. They use abstract potential theory, distribution theory, results by N.M. Krylov and N.N. Bogoljubov and known N.N. Bogoljubov methods of statistical physics. To choose potential functions, their numerical parameters, surface form and dimensions of the cloud, they use optimal experiment planning, likelihood method, Monte-Carlo, directed random search and computer experiment methods. To be likelihood function they used free energy of ionized cloud with admixtures. They refuse describing single particle behavior at small volume. They consider particles to be washed spots and describe particles by distributions. According to R. Feinman it is lawful. Bounded plasma state is described by vector-density of particles distribution. Term distribution is used in Sobolev-Schwartc sence. To precipitate admixtures is effective ultrasound coagulation

THE NONLINEAR OHM'S LAW: PLASMA HEATING BY STRONG ELECTRIC FIELDS AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE IONIZATION BALANCE IN PROTOPLANETARY DISKS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Okuzumi, Satoshi [Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8551 (Japan); Inutsuka, Shu-ichiro, E-mail: okuzumi@geo.titech.ac.jp [Department of Physics, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602 (Japan)

2015-02-10

The ionization state of the gas plays a key role in the magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) of protoplanetary disks. However, the ionization state can depend on the gas dynamics, because electric fields induced by MHD turbulence can heat up plasmas and thereby affect the ionization balance. To study this nonlinear feedback, we construct an ionization model that includes plasma heating by electric fields and impact ionization by heated electrons, as well as charging of dust grains. We show that when plasma sticking onto grains is the dominant recombination process, the electron abundance in the gas decreases with increasing electric field strength. This is a natural consequence of electron-grain collisions whose frequency increases with the electron's random velocity. The decreasing electron abundance may lead to a self-regulation of MHD turbulence. In some cases, not only the electron abundance but also the electric current decreases with increasing field strength in a certain field range. The resulting N-shaped current-field relation violates the fundamental assumption of the non-relativistic MHD that the electric field is uniquely determined by the current density. At even higher field strengths, impact ionization causes an abrupt increase of the electric current as expected by previous studies. We find that this discharge current is multi-valued (i.e., the current-field relation is S-shaped) under some circumstances, and that the intermediate branch is unstable. The N/S-shaped current-field relations may yield hysteresis in the evolution of MHD turbulence in some parts of protoplanetary disks.

THERMODYNAMIC DEPRESSION OF IONIZATION POTENTIALS IN NONIDEAL PLASMAS: GENERALIZED SELF-CONSISTENCY CRITERION AND A BACKWARD SCHEME FOR DERIVING THE EXCESS FREE ENERGY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaghloul, Mofreh R.

2009-01-01

Accurate and consistent prediction of thermodynamic properties is of great importance in high-energy density physics and in modeling stellar atmospheres and interiors as well. Modern descriptions of thermodynamic properties of such nonideal plasma systems are sophisticated and/or full of pitfalls that make it difficult, if not impossible, to reproduce. The use of the Saha equation modified at high densities by incorporating simple expressions for depression of ionization potentials is very convenient in that context. However, as it is commonly known, the incorporation of ad hoc or empirical expressions for the depression of ionization potentials in the Saha equation leads to thermodynamic inconsistencies. The problem of thermodynamic consistency of ionization potentials depression in nonideal plasmas is investigated and a criterion is derived, which shows immediately, whether a particular model for the ionization potential depression is self-consistent, that is, whether it can be directly related to a modification of the free-energy function, or not. A backward scheme is introduced which can be utilized to derive nonideality corrections to the free-energy function from formulas of ionization potentials depression derived from plasma microfields or in ad hoc or empirical fashion provided that the aforementioned self-consistency criterion is satisfied. The value and usefulness of such a backward method are pointed out and discussed. The above-mentioned criterion is applied to investigate the thermodynamic consistency of some historic models in the literature and an optional routine is introduced to recover their thermodynamic consistencies while maintaining the same functional dependence on the species densities as in the original models. Sample computational problems showing the effect of the proposed modifications on the computed plasma composition are worked out and presented.

Role of centrifugal and charge effects of the mass separation in a plasma centrifuge with crossed fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhdanov, V.M.; Karchevskii, A.I.; Lukovnikov, A.I.; Potanin, E.P.

1982-01-01

The coefficients of mass separation have been calculated for gas mixtures in crossed electric and magnetic fields. The initial kinetic equations have been derived, and the contribution of centrifugal and charge separation mechanisms to mass separation in a weakly ionized plasma has been assessed

Electrical conductivity and charge carrier screening in weakly non-ideal argon plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guenther, K.; Lang, S.; Radtke, R.

1983-01-01

A pulsed argon discharge as a stable source of weakly non-ideal plasmas is described in connection with the diagnostic necessities for conductivity measurements. The parameters overlap the range for stationary arcs and allow comparison with measurements in cascade arcs. The measured conductivities are explained using the binary collision model considering collisions with neutrals, excited atoms, and ions. A relation between the screening parameter and non-ideality is proposed which should be valid for all elements. (author)

Electrical conductivity and charge carrier screening in weakly non-ideal argon plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guenther, K; Lang, S; Radtke, R [Akademie der Wissenschaften der DDR, Jena. Zentralinstitut fuer Elektronenphysik

1983-07-14

A pulsed argon discharge as a stable source of weakly non-ideal plasmas is described in connection with the diagnostic necessities for conductivity measurements. The parameters overlap the range for stationary arcs and allow comparison with measurements in cascade arcs. The measured conductivities are explained using the binary collision model considering collisions with neutrals, excited atoms, and ions. A relation between the screening parameter and non-ideality is proposed which should be valid for all elements.

Ionization-potential depression and other dense plasma statistical property studies - Application to spectroscopic diagnostics.

Science.gov (United States)

Calisti, Annette; Ferri, Sandrine; Mossé, Caroline; Talin, Bernard

2017-02-01

The radiative properties of an emitter surrounded by a plasma, are modified through various mechanisms. For instance the line shapes emitted by bound-bound transitions are broadened and carry useful information for plasma diagnostics. Depending on plasma conditions the electrons occupying the upper quantum levels of radiators no longer exist as they belong to the plasma free electron population. All the charges present in the radiator environment contribute to the lowering of the energy required to free an electron in the fundamental state. This mechanism is known as ionization potential depression (IPD). The knowledge of IPD is useful as it affects both the radiative properties of the various ionic states and their populations. Its evaluation deals with highly complex n-body coupled systems, involving particles with different dynamics and attractive ion-electron forces. A classical molecular dynamics (MD) code, the BinGo-TCP code, has been recently developed to simulate neutral multi-component (various charge state ions and electrons) plasma accounting for all the charge correlations. In the present work, results on IPD and other dense plasma statistical properties obtained using the BinGo-TCP code are presented. The study focuses on aluminum plasmas for different densities and several temperatures in order to explore different plasma coupling conditions.

Detailed spectra of high-power broadband microwave radiation from interactions of relativistic electron beams with weakly magnetized plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, K.G.; Benford, G.; Tzach, D.

1983-01-01

Prodigious quantities of microwave energy distributed uniformly across a wide frequency band are observed when a relativistic electron beam (REB) penetrates a plasma. Typical measured values are 20 MW total for Δνapprox. =40 GHz with preliminary observations of bandwidths as large as 100 GHz. An intense annular pulsed REB (Iapprox. =128 kA; rapprox. =3 cm; Δrapprox. =1 cm; 50 nsec FWHM; γapprox. =3) is sent through an unmagnetized or weakly magnetized plasma column (n/sub plasma/approx.10 13 cm -3 ). Beam-to-plasma densities of 0.01 >ω/sub p/ and weak harmonic structure is wholly unanticipated from Langmuir scattering or soliton collapse models. A model of Compton-like boosting of ambient plasma waves by the beam electrons, with collateral emission of high-frequency photons, qualitatively explains these spectra. Power emerges largely in an angle approx.1/γ, as required by Compton mechanisms. As n/sub b//n/sub p/ falls, ω/sub p/-2ω/sub p/ structure and harmonic power ratios consistent with soliton collapse theories appear. With further reduction of n/sub b//n/sub p/ only the ω/sub p/ line persists

Measurement of excitation, ionization, and electron temperatures and positive ion concentrations in a 144 MHz inductively coupled radiofrequency plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walters, P.E.; Chester, T.L.; Winefordner, J.D.

1977-01-01

Diagnostic measurements of 144 MHz radiofrequency inductively coupled plasmas at pressures between 0.5 and 14 Torr have been made. Other variables studied included the gas type (Ar or Ne) and material in plasma (Ti or Tl). Parameters measured included excitation temperatures via the atomic Boltzmann plot and the two-line method, ionization electric probes. Excitation temperatures increased as the pressure of Ar or Ne plasmas decreased and reached a maximum of approx.9000 degreeK in the latter case and approx.6700 degreeK in the former case; Tl in the Ar plasma resulted in in a smaller rate of decrease of excitation temperature with increase of pressure of Ar. The ionization temperatures were lower than the excitation temperatures and were similar for both the Ar and Ne plasmas. Electron temperatures were about 10 times higher than the excitation temperatures indicating non-LTE behavior. Again, the electron temperatures indicating in Ne were considerably higher than in Ar. With the presence of metals, the electron temperatures with a metal in the Ar plasma were higher than in the absence. Positive ion concentrations were also measured for the various plasmas and were found to be similar (approx.10 18 m -3 ) in both the Ar and Ne plasmas. The presence of metals caused significant increase in the positive ion concentrations. From the results obtained, the optimum Ar pressure for Tl electrodeless discharge lamps operated at 144 MHz would be between 2 and 4 Torr

Pressure ionization of dense plasmas in spherical ion-cell model with spin-orbit interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishikawa, K.; Blenski, T.; Takahashi, H.; Iguchi, T.; Nakazawa, M.

1996-01-01

We study the continuity of pressure of dense plasmas in pressure ionization in case where spin-orbit interactions are taken into account in calculations. Pressure is calculated using a stress-tensor pressure formula in the relativistically-corrected self-consistent field spherical ion-cell model (average-atom model). It appears that calculated pressure and electronic density distribution change continuously in pressure ionization if we take narrow shape resonances into account properly. This observation stresses the need of a coherent description of bound and free electrons. We also compare the results by the stress-tensor pressure formula with those by other pressure formulas. It appears that different pressure formulas give rather discrepant results in some cases. copyright 1996 American Institute of Physics

Accuracy of the calculations of the ionization-state densities in a steady-state plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salzmann, D.

1980-01-01

A quantitative definition is given to the accuracy of the computation of the partial densities of the ionization states in a steady-state plasma when there is an inaccuracy in the rate coefficients used in the rate equation. It is found that the partial density of the most abundant ion species is almost independent of the exact form of the rate coefficients, but large errors may occur for the rare species. The effect of the variation of the total ion density on the partial densities is also calculated. For low-ion densities the partial ionization-state densities grow proportionally to the change of the total density, but at high densities there is an alteration of the charge-state distribution as well

Guided ionization waves: Theory and experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, X.; Naidis, G.V.; Laroussi, M.; Ostrikov, K.

2014-01-01

This review focuses on one of the fundamental phenomena that occur upon application of sufficiently strong electric fields to gases, namely the formation and propagation of ionization waves–streamers. The dynamics of streamers is controlled by strongly nonlinear coupling, in localized streamer tip regions, between enhanced (due to charge separation) electric field and ionization and transport of charged species in the enhanced field. Streamers appear in nature (as initial stages of sparks and lightning, as huge structures—sprites above thunderclouds), and are also found in numerous technological applications of electrical discharges. Here we discuss the fundamental physics of the guided streamer-like structures—plasma bullets which are produced in cold atmospheric-pressure plasma jets. Plasma bullets are guided ionization waves moving in a thin column of a jet of plasma forming gases (e.g., He or Ar) expanding into ambient air. In contrast to streamers in a free (unbounded) space that propagate in a stochastic manner and often branch, guided ionization waves are repetitive and highly-reproducible and propagate along the same path—the jet axis. This property of guided streamers, in comparison with streamers in a free space, enables many advanced time-resolved experimental studies of ionization waves with nanosecond precision. In particular, experimental studies on manipulation of streamers by external electric fields and streamer interactions are critically examined. This review also introduces the basic theories and recent advances on the experimental and computational studies of guided streamers, in particular related to the propagation dynamics of ionization waves and the various parameters of relevance to plasma streamers. This knowledge is very useful to optimize the efficacy of applications of plasma streamer discharges in various fields ranging from health care and medicine to materials science and nanotechnology

Effect of Weakly Nonthermal Ion Velocity Distribution on Jeans Instability in a Complex Plasma in Presence of Secondary Electrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarkar, S.; Maity, S.

2013-01-01

In this paper we have investigated the effect of weak nonthermality of ion velocity distribution on Jean’s instability in a complex plasma in presence of secondary electrons and negatively charged dust grains. The primary and secondary electron temperatures are assumed equal. Thus plasma under consideration consists of three components: Boltzman distributed electrons, non-thermal ions and negatively charged inertial dust grains. From the linear dispersion relation we have calculated the real frequency and growth rate of the Jean’s mode. Numerically we have found that secondary electron emission destabilizes Jean’s mode when ion nonthermality is weak. (author)

Collisional ionization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arnaud, M.

1985-07-01

In low density, thin plasmas (such as stellar coronae, interstellar medium, intracluster medium) the ionization process is governed by collision between electrons and ions in their ground state. In view of the recent improvements we thought an updating of ionization rates was really needed. The work is based on both experimental data and theoretical works and give separate estimates for the direct and autoionization rates

Chemistry and Physics of Weakly Ionized Plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-22

342 (Dec 2005). 96. Recent developments in the measurement of static electric dipole polarizabilities H. Gould and T. M. Miller Adv. At. Mol. Opt...119. Argon cluster-mediated isolation and vibrational spectra of peroxy and nominally D3h isomers of CO3ˉ and NO3ˉ R. Relph, J. C. Bopp, M. A

Ultra-low emittance beam generation using two-color ionization injection in a CO2 laser-driven plasma accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schroeder, Carl; Benedetti, Carlo; Bulanov, Stepan; Chen, Min; Esarey, Eric; Geddes, Cameron; Vay, J.; Yu, Lule; Leemans, Wim

2015-01-01

Ultra-low emittance (tens of nm) beams can be generated in a plasma accelerator using ionization injection of electrons into a wakefield. An all-optical method of beam generation uses two laser pulses of different colors. A long-wavelength drive laser pulse (with a large ponderomotive force and small peak electric field) is used to excite a large wakefield without fully ionizing a gas, and a short-wavelength injection laser pulse (with a small ponderomotive force and large peak electric field), co-propagating and delayed with respect to the pump laser, to ionize a fraction of the remaining bound electrons at a trapped wake phase, generating an electron beam that is accelerated in the wake. The trapping condition, the ionized electron distribution, and the trapped bunch dynamics are discussed. Expressions for the beam transverse emittance, parallel and orthogonal to the ionization laser polarization, are presented. An example is shown using a 10-micron CO 2 laser to drive the wake and a frequency-doubled Ti:Al 2 O 3 laser for ionization injection.

Oblique non-neutral solitary Alfven modes in weakly nonlinear pair plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verheest, Frank; Lakhina, G S

2005-01-01

The equal charge-to-mass ratio for both species in pair plasmas induces a decoupling of the linear eigenmodes between waves that are charge neutral or non-neutral, also at oblique propagation with respect to a static magnetic field. While the charge-neutral linear modes have been studied in greater detail, including their weakly and strongly nonlinear counterparts, the non-neutral mode has received less attention. Here the nonlinear evolution of a solitary non-neutral mode at oblique propagation is investigated in an electron-positron plasma. Employing the framework of reductive perturbation analysis, a modified Korteweg-de Vries equation (with cubic nonlinearity) for the lowest-order wave magnetic field is obtained. In the linear approximation, the non-neutral mode has its magnetic component orthogonal to the plane spanned by the directions of wave propagation and of the static magnetic field. The linear polarization is not maintained at higher orders. The results may be relevant to the microstructure in pulsar radiation or to the subpulses

Physical properties of dense, low-temperature plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Redmer, R.

1997-01-01

Plasmas occur in a wide range of the density-temperature plane. The physical quantities can be expressed by Green's functions which are evaluated by means of standard quantum statistical methods. The influences of many-particle effects such as dynamic screening and self-energy, structure factor and local-field corrections, formation and decay of bound states, degeneracy and Pauli exclusion principle are studied. As a basic concept for partially ionized plasmas, a cluster decomposition is performed for the self-energy as well as for the polarization function. The general model of a partially ionized plasma interpolates between low-density, nonmetallic systems such as atomic vapors and high-density, conducting systems such as metals or fully ionized plasmas. The equations of state, including the location of the critical point and the shape of the coexistence curve, are determined for expanded alkali-atom and mercury fluids. The occurrence of a metal-nonmetal transition near the critical point of the liquid-vapor phase transition leads in these materials to characteristic deviations from the behavior of nonconducting fluids such as the inert gases. Therefore, a unified approach is needed to describe the drastic changes of the electronic properties as well as the variation of the physical properties with the density. Similar results are obtained for the hypothetical plasma phase transition in hydrogen plasma. The transport coefficients (electrical and thermal conductivity, thermopower) are studied wthin linear response theory given here in the formulation of Zubarev which is valid for arbitrary degeneracy and yields the transport coefficients for the limiting cases of nondegenerate, weakly coupled plasmas (Spitzer theory) as well as degenerate, strongly coupled plasmas (Ziman theory). mercury within the MHNC scheme via effective ion-ion potentials which are derived from the polarization function within an extended RPA. The optical properties of dense plasmas, the shift

Laser-supported ionization wave in under-dense gases and foams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gus'kov, S. Yu.; Limpouch, J.; Nicolaie, Ph.; Tikhonchuk, V. T.

2011-01-01

Propagation of laser-supported ionization wave in homogeneous and porous materials with a mean density less than the critical plasma density is studied theoretically in the one-dimensional geometry. It is shown that the velocity of the ionization wave in a foam is significantly decreased in comparison with the similar wave in a homogeneous fully ionized plasma of the same density. That difference is attributed to the ionization and hydro-homogenization processes forming an under-critical density environment in the front of ionization wave. The rate of energy transfer from laser to plasma is found to be in a good agreement with available experimental data.

Analysis of laser ablation: Contribution of ionization energy to the plasma and shock wave properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wen, S.-B.; Mao Xianglei; Greif, Ralph; Russo, Richard E.

2007-01-01

By fitting simulation results with experimentally measured trajectories of the shock wave and the vapor/background gas contact surface, we found that inclusion of ionization energy in the analysis leads to a change in the evolution of the pressure, mass density, electron number density, and temperature of the vapor plume. The contribution of ionization energy to both the plasma and shock wave has been neglected in most studies of laser ablation. Compared to previous simulations, the densities, pressures, and temperatures are lower shortly after the laser pulse ( 50 ns). The predicted laser energy conversion ratio also showed about a 20% increase (from 35% to 45%) when the ionization energy is considered. The changes in the evolution of the physical quantities result from the retention of the ionization energy in the vapor plume, which is then gradually transformed to kinetic and thermal energies. When ionization energy is included in the simulation, the vapor plume attains higher expansion speeds and temperatures for a longer time after the laser pulse. The better determination of the temperature history of the vapor plume not only improves the understanding of the expansion process of the laser induced vapor plume but also is important for chemical analysis. The accurate temperature history provides supplementary information which enhances the accuracy of chemical analysis based on spectral emission measurements (e.g., laser induced breakdown spectroscopy)

Weakly nonlinear dynamics in noncanonical Hamiltonian systems with applications to fluids and plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morrison, P.J., E-mail: morrison@physics.utexas.edu [Department of Physics and Institute for Fusion Studies, University of Texas, Austin (United States); Vanneste, J. [School of Mathematics and Maxwell Institute for Mathematical Sciences, University of Edinburgh (United Kingdom)

2016-05-15

A method, called beatification, is presented for rapidly extracting weakly nonlinear Hamiltonian systems that describe the dynamics near equilibria of systems possessing Hamiltonian form in terms of noncanonical Poisson brackets. The procedure applies to systems like fluids and plasmas in terms of Eulerian variables that have such noncanonical Poisson brackets, i.e., brackets with nonstandard and possibly degenerate form. A collection of examples of both finite and infinite dimensions is presented.

Thrust performance, propellant ionization, and thruster erosion of an external discharge plasma thruster

Science.gov (United States)

Karadag, Burak; Cho, Shinatora; Funaki, Ikkoh

2018-04-01

It is quite a challenge to design low power Hall thrusters with a long lifetime and high efficiency because of the large surface area to volume ratio and physical limits to the magnetic circuit miniaturization. As a potential solution to this problem, we experimentally investigated the external discharge plasma thruster (XPT). The XPT produces and sustains a plasma discharge completely in the open space outside of the thruster structure through a magnetic mirror configuration. It eliminates the very fundamental component of Hall thrusters, discharge channel side walls, and its magnetic circuit consists solely of a pair of hollow cylindrical permanent magnets. Thrust, low frequency discharge current oscillation, ion beam current, and plasma property measurements were conducted to characterize the manufactured prototype thruster for the proof of concept. The thrust performance, propellant ionization, and thruster erosion were discussed. Thrust generated by the XPT was on par with conventional Hall thrusters [stationary plasma thruster (SPT) or thruster with anode layer] at the same power level (˜11 mN at 250 W with 25% anode efficiency without any optimization), and discharge current had SPT-level stability (Δ design and provide a successful proof of concept experiment of the XPT.

Analysis of laser-generated plasma ionizing radiation by synthetic single crystal diamond detectors

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Marinelli, M.; Milani, E.; Prestopino, G.; Verona, C.; Verona-Rinati, G.; Cutroneo, M.; Torrisi, L.; Margarone, Daniele; Velyhan, Andriy; Krása, Josef; Krouský, Eduard

2013-01-01

Roč. 272, May (2013), s. 104-108 ISSN 0169-4332 R&D Projects: GA MŠk ED1.1.00/02.0061; GA MŠk EE2.3.20.0279; GA MŠk EE.2.3.20.0087; GA MŠk(CZ) 7E09092; GA MŠk(CZ) LC528 Grant - others:ELI Beamlines(XE) CZ.1.05/1.1.00/02.0061; OPVK 3 Laser Zdroj(XE) CZ.1.07/2.3.00/20.0279; OP VK 2 LaserGen(XE) CZ.1.07/2.3.00/20.0087; 7FP LASERLAB-EUROPE(XE) 228334 Program:EE; FP7 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : single crystal diamond * diamond detector * laser-generated plasma * ionizing radiation * time-of-fight spectrometer Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics Impact factor: 2.538, year: 2013

On a regime of plasma heating with a constant impedance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gertsenshtejn, M.E.; Pogosyan, V.A.

1977-01-01

It is shown that as a result of the pulsed heating of the solid-state plasma in the regime of the spreading of the ionization wave its impedance is weakly changed in relation to the current source in the process of heating. Also studied are pecularities of the spreading of ionization wave at densities of the condensed state. For the existence of the ionization were its speed should exceed the speed of the breakdown wave. It is indicated that the width of the front of the ionization wave is mainly determinated by the thickness of the skin-layer. The value of the critical field is obtained for dielectrics for the pulse duration of 5-100 ns, equal to E = 10 7 V/cm. If the limit field exceeds the value of the critical field by three times the value of the energy current approximately amounts to 10 14 W/cm 2

The influence of ion temperature on solitary waves in collisionless weak relativistic plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cerepaniuc, Adina

2004-01-01

Korteweg-de Vries equation is used to study the influence of the ion temperature, on the ion acoustic waves in the frame of collisionless plasma's weak relativistic effect. In the literature it is discussed the influence of ion temperature on the ion acoustic wave in a relativistic plasma for a ratio of the ion flow velocity to the light velocity between 0 and 1. In this paper, the dependence of the phase velocity on the relativistic effect for different values of the ratio of the ion temperature to the electron temperature is studied. In case of weak relativistic effect (ratio of the ion flow velocity to the light velocity is 10 -6 and the step of the representation is 10 -6 ) we noticed the occurrence of an antisoliton within soliton amplitude graphical representation as function of the relativistic effect and the temperature ratio. The novelty of this article consists in the fact that a much smaller interval is considered for velocity ratio (size) and we studied the influence of ion temperature on ion acoustic wave in a collisionless relativistic plasma. We performed the numerical calculation of equations and we plotted the phase velocity and the amplitude of soliton wave as a function of velocity ratio and the temperature ratio. We considered the step of velocity ratio variation equal with 10 -6 and the step of temperature ratio variation 10 -2 . The observation made in this paper refines the results of other authors who studied these equations for velocity ratio variation of 10 -1 . In herein chosen interval we observed new phenomena that were not noticed in the case of choosing larger intervals. (author)

Dusty plasmas in a constant electric field: Role of the electron drag force

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khrapak, S.A.; Morfill, G.E.

2004-01-01

We investigate the forces experienced by a microparticle immersed in a weakly ionized plasma with constant electric field. These are electric force and the forces associated with the momentum transfer from electrons and ions drifting in the field (electron and ion drag forces). It is shown that the effect of the electron drag, which is often neglected, can be substantial in a certain parameter range. Numerical calculation of the forces for a reasonable set of plasma parameters is performed to illustrate the importance of this effect

Detailed spectra of high power broadband microwave radiation from interactions of relativistic electron beams with weakly magnetized plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, K.G.; Benford, G.; Tzach, D.

1983-01-01

Prodigious quantities of microwave energy are observed uniformly across a wide frequency band when a relativistic electron beam (REB) penetrates a plasma. Measurement calculations are illustrated. A model of Compton-like boosting of ambient plasma waves by beam electrons, with collateral emission of high frequency photons, qualitatively explain the spectra. A transition in spectral behavior is observed from the weak to strong turbulence theories advocated for Type III solar burst radiation, and further into the regime the authors characterize as super-strong REB-plasma interactions

Effect of weak nonlinearities on the plane waves in a plasma stream

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seshadri, S.R.

1976-01-01

The effect of weak nonlinearities on the monochromatic plane waves in a cold infinite plasma stream is investigated for the case in which the waves are progressing parallel to the drift velocity. The fast and the slow space-charge waves undergo amplitude-dependent frequency and wave number shifts. There is a long time slow modulation of the amplitude of the electromagnetic mode which becomes unstable to this nonlinear wave modulation. The importance of using the relativistically correct equation of motion for predicting correctly the modulational stability of the electromagnetic mode is pointed out. (author)

Collisional ionization of Na by HBr in weak to strong electric fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Safinya, K.A.; Gallagher, T.F.; Sandner, W.; Gounand, F.

1985-01-01

We report the effect of static electric fields on the collisional ionization of highly excited sodium atoms by HBr. The binding energy dependence of the collisional ionization cross section is measured at zero field and in static electric fields up to that point at which the atom field ionizes. The applied electric field lowers the ionization threshold of the atom from its zero field value. Therefore an atom near the ionization threshold in an electric field is of smaller size than a free field atom with the same binding energy. Thus measuring the binding energy dependence of the cross section at different values of the electric field allows us to study the effects of the physical size of the atom on the cross section. The effect of the electric field was to lower the measured ionization cross section. However, the binding energy dependence of the cross section remains unchanged at the level of our measurement accuracy. The measured cross sections are larger for larger atoms, exhibit a drop with increasing binding energy characteristic of rotational to electronic excitation transfer, and are of order 10 -12 --10 -11 cm 2 . A simple calculation based on dipole (J→ J-1) excitation transfer from the molecule to the atom predicts, with good agreement, the binding energy dependence of the cross section. The electric field dependence of the data however, is not shown in the theory

Study on the plasma reaction process of hydroxyl generation by strong electric field ionization discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bai Mindi; Deng Shufang; Bai Xiyao; Zhang Zhitao

2004-01-01

Considering the change in the structure of reaction room, dielectric materials and process technology, authors have specifically studied the plasma reaction process of creating hydroxyl radical OH * and e aq - from ionization of O 2 and H 2 O through a strong electric field discharge. The production volume of hydroxyl radical OH * is up to the project application level, and process technology meets the 12 laws of green chemistry, free from environmental pollution from the source. The authors have emphatically researched on the green method of flue gas desulfurization, which will ionize SO 2 , H 2 O and O 2 in the flue gas to synthesis H 2 SO 4 in molecular level within 0.8 s without absorbent and catalyst. (author)

Transverse phase space diagnostics for ionization injection in laser plasma acceleration using permanent magnetic quadrupoles

Science.gov (United States)

Li, F.; Nie, Z.; Wu, Y. P.; Guo, B.; Zhang, X. H.; Huang, S.; Zhang, J.; Cheng, Z.; Ma, Y.; Fang, Y.; Zhang, C. J.; Wan, Y.; Xu, X. L.; Hua, J. F.; Pai, C. H.; Lu, W.; Mori, W. B.

2018-04-01

We report the transverse phase space diagnostics for electron beams generated through ionization injection in a laser-plasma accelerator. Single-shot measurements of both ultimate emittance and Twiss parameters are achieved by means of permanent magnetic quadrupole. Beams with emittance of μm rad level are obtained in a typical ionization injection scheme, and the dependence on nitrogen concentration and charge density is studied experimentally and confirmed by simulations. A key feature of the transverse phase space, matched beams with Twiss parameter α T ≃ 0, is identified according to the measurement. Numerical simulations that are in qualitative agreement with the experimental results reveal that a sufficient phase mixing induced by an overlong injection length leads to the matched phase space distribution.

Investigation of parameters of the working substance - low temperature plasma in the ionization resonator chamber of the RF reactive engine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vdovin, V.S.; Zajtzev, B.V.; Kobetz, A.F.; Bomko, V.A.; Rashkovan, V.M.; Bazyma, L.A.; Belokon, V.I.

2003-01-01

This paper is the extension of investigations of the RF engine designed for orientation and stabilization of the spacecrafts orbit, and it is undertaken for measuring of plasma parameters of RF discharge in the ionization resonator chamber. The experiments were performed at the frequency of 80 MHz on the model engine, in which a length of coaxial line with shortening capacities at the ends was used as the ionization resonator chamber. As the result of the experiments, conditions of the RF discharge ignition in the resonator chamber are studied; dependencies of plasma density and temperature versus applied power and working body pressure are obtained for various gases. The measurements of the thrust were performed at the special-purpose test bench

Research project AUS-10370/CF: electron impact ionization and surface induced reactions of edge plasma constituents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maerk, T.D.

1999-01-01

In order to better understand elementary reactions which are taking place at the plasma edge of thermonuclear fusion devices, three areas of research were persuaded: I) Experimental studies about electron ionization of neutrals and ions and electron attachment to molecules, II) Theoretical studies about electron ionisation of neutrals and ions and III) Reactive interaction of molecular ions with surfaces

Experimental studies on the plasma bullet propagation and its inhibition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karakas, Erdinc; Laroussi, Mounir

2010-01-01

Plasma bullets generated by atmospheric pressure low temperature plasma jets have recently been an active research topic due to their unique properties and their enhanced plasma chemistry. In this paper, experimental insights into the plasma bullet lifetime and its velocity are reported. Data obtained from intensified charge-coupled device camera and time-resolved optical emission spectroscopy (OES) elucidated the existence of a weakly ionized channel between the plasma bullet and its source (such as the plasma pencil). Factors responsible for the inhibition of the propagation of the bullet, such as low helium mole fraction, the magnitude of the applied voltage, and the secondary discharge ignition time, are also revealed. A new technique is discussed to accurately measure the plasma bullet velocity, using time-resolved OES. This new technique shows that during its lifetime the plasma bullet goes through launching, propagation, and ending phases. In addition, it is noted that the plasma bullet exhibits an unstable behavior at the early beginning and late ending of the propagation.

Shear flow instability in a partially-ionized plasma sheath around a fast-moving vehicle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sotnikov, V. I.; Mudaliar, S.; Genoni, T. C.; Rose, D. V.; Oliver, B. V.; Mehlhorn, T. A.

2011-01-01

The stability of ion acoustic waves in a sheared-flow, partially-ionized compressible plasma sheath around a fast-moving vehicle in the upper atmosphere, is described and evaluated for different flow profiles. In a compressible plasma with shear flow, instability occurs for any velocity profile, not just for profiles with an inflection point. A second-order differential equation for the electrostatic potential of excited ion acoustic waves in the presence of electron and ion collisions with neutrals is derived and solved numerically using a shooting method with boundary conditions appropriate for a finite thickness sheath in contact with the vehicle. We consider three different velocity flow profiles and find that in all cases that neutral collisions can completely suppress the instability.

Effects of ionization and ion loss on dust ion- acoustic solitary waves in a collisional dusty plasma with suprathermal electrons

Science.gov (United States)

Tribeche, Mouloud; Mayout, Saliha

2016-07-01

The combined effects of ionization, ion loss and electron suprathermality on dust ion- acoustic solitary waves in a collisional dusty plasma are examined. Carrying out a small but finite amplitude analysis, a damped Korteweg- de Vries (dK-- dV) equation is derived. The damping term decreases with the increase of the spectral index and saturates for Maxwellian electrons. Choosing typical plasma parameters, the analytical approximate solution of the dK- dV equation is numerically analyzed. We first neglect the ionization and ion loss effects and account only for collisions to estimate the relative importance between these damping terms which can act concurrently. Interestingly, we found that as the suprathermal character of the electrons becomes important, the strength of the collisions related dissipation becomes more important and causes the DIA solitary wave amplitude to decay more rapidly. Moreover, the collisional damping may largely prevail over the ionization and ion loss related damping. The latter becomes more effective as the electrons evolve far away from their thermal equilibrium. Our results complement and provide new insights into previously published work on this problem.

Envelope matching for enhanced backward Raman amplification by using self-ionizing plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Z. M.; Zhang, B.; Hong, W.; Teng, J.; He, S. K.; Gu, Y. Q.; Yu, M. Y.

2014-01-01

Backward Raman amplification (BRA) in plasmas has been promoted as a means for generating ultrapowerful laser pulses. For the purpose of achieving the maximum intensities over the shortest distances, an envelope matching between the seed pulse and the amplification gain is required, i.e., the seed pulse propagates at the same velocity with the gain such that the peak of the seed pulse can always enjoy the maximum gain. However, such an envelope matching is absent in traditional BRA because in the latter the amplification gain propagates at superluminous velocity while the seed pulse propagates at the group velocity, which is less than the speed of light. It is shown here that, by using self-ionizing plasmas, the speed of the amplification gain can be well reduced to reach the envelope matching regime. This results in a favorable BRA process, in which higher saturated intensity, shorter interaction length and higher energy-transfer efficiency are achieved

Effect of negative ions on current growth and ionizing wave propagation in air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kline, L.E.

1975-01-01

The spatiotemporal development of electron and ion densities, electric fields, and luminosity are calculated for electron pulse experiments in overvolted parallel-plane gaps by numerically solving continuity equations together with Poisson's equation. Experimental coefficients for primary ionization, cathode photoemission, photoionization, and luminosity are used. Unambiguous determination of the coefficients for attachment, detachment, and charge transfer is not possible from available experimental results. Therefore, the calculations are repeated for three sets of coefficients for these processes, corresponding to the following assumptions: unstable negative ions, stable negative ions, and no negative ions. The results of the calculations show, in each case, that the electron pulse initiates an avalanche which grows exponentially until the onset of space-charge effects. The calculated growth rate is strongly affected by the assumed attachment, detachment, and charge-transfer coefficients. When the total number of electrons in the avalanche reaches approx.10 8 , anode- and cathode-directed ionizing waves, or streamers, develop from the avalanche and produce a weakly ionized filamentary plasma. The calculated ionizing wave velocities are strongly increasing functions of the space-charge--enhanced electric field within the waves and are insensitive to the assumed attachment, detachment, and charge-transfer coefficients. The numerically calculated ionizing wave velocities are in approximate agreement with a simple analytical theory

Analyte-Size-Dependent Ionization and Quantification of Monosaccharides in Human Plasma Using Cation-Exchanged Smectite Layers.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Yuqi; Kawakita, Kento; Xu, Jiawei; Akiyama, Kazuhiko; Fujino, Tatsuya

2015-08-04

Smectite, a synthetic inorganic polymer with a saponite structure, was subjected to matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI MS). Typical organic matrix molecules 2,4,6-trihydroxyacetophenone (THAP) and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHBA) were intercalated into the layer spacing of cation-exchanged smectite, and the complex was used as a new matrix for laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry. Because of layer spacing limitations, only a small analyte that could enter the layer and bind to THAP or DHBA could be ionized. This was confirmed by examining different analyte/matrix preparation methods and by measuring saccharides with different molecular sizes. Because of the homogeneous distribution of THAP molecules in the smectite layer spacing, high reproducibility of the analyte peak intensity was achieved. By using isotope-labeled (13)C6-d-glucose as the internal standard, quantitative analysis of monosaccharides in pretreated human plasma sample was performed, and the value of 8.6 ± 0.3 μg/mg was estimated.

Real-time breath analysis with active capillary plasma ionization-ambient mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Bregy, Lukas; Sinues, Pablo Martinez-Lozano; Nudnova, Maryia M; Zenobi, Renato

2014-06-01

On-line analysis of exhaled human breath is a growing area in analytical science, for applications such as fast and non-invasive medical diagnosis and monitoring. In this work, we present a novel approach based on ambient ionization of compounds in breath and subsequent real-time mass spectrometric analysis. We introduce a plasma ionization source for this purpose, which has no need for additional gases, is very small, and is easily interfaced with virtually any commercial atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometer (API-MS) without major modifications. If an API-MS instrument exists in a laboratory, the cost to implement this technology is only around [Formula: see text]500, far less than the investment for a specialized mass spectrometric system designed for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) analysis. In this proof-of-principle study we were able to measure mass spectra of exhaled human breath and found these to be comparable to spectra obtained with other electrospray-based methods. We detected over 100 VOCs, including relevant metabolites like fatty acids, with molecular weights extending up to 340 Da. In addition, we were able to monitor the time-dependent evolution of the peaks and show the enhancement of the metabolism after a meal. We conclude that this approach may complement current methods to analyze breath or other types of vapors, offering an affordable option to upgrade any pre-existing API-MS to a real-time breath analyzer.

Development of a gas-cylinder-free plasma desorption/ionization system for on-site detection of chemical warfare agents.

Science.gov (United States)

Iwai, Takahiro; Kakegawa, Ken; Aida, Mari; Nagashima, Hisayuki; Nagoya, Tomoki; Kanamori-Kataoka, Mieko; Miyahara, Hidekazu; Seto, Yasuo; Okino, Akitoshi

2015-06-02

A gas-cylinder-free plasma desorption/ionization system was developed to realize a mobile on-site analytical device for detection of chemical warfare agents (CWAs). In this system, the plasma source was directly connected to the inlet of a mass spectrometer. The plasma can be generated with ambient air, which is drawn into the discharge region by negative pressure in the mass spectrometer. High-power density pulsed plasma of 100 kW could be generated by using a microhollow cathode and a laboratory-built high-intensity pulsed power supply (pulse width: 10-20 μs; repetition frequency: 50 Hz). CWAs were desorbed and protonated in the enclosed space adjacent to the plasma source. Protonated sample molecules were introduced to the mass spectrometer by airflow through the discharge region. To evaluate the analytical performance of this device, helium and air plasma were directly irradiated to CWAs in the gas-cylinder-free plasma desorption/ionization system and the protonated molecules were analyzed by using an ion-trap mass spectrometer. A blister agent (nitrogen mustard 3) and nerve gases [cyclohexylsarin (GF), tabun (GA), and O-ethyl S-2-N,N-diisopropylaminoethyl methylphosphonothiolate (VX)] in solution in n-hexane were applied to the Teflon rod and used as test samples, after solvent evaporation. As a result, protonated molecules of CWAs were successfully observed as the characteristic ion peaks at m/z 204, 181, 163, and 268, respectively. In air plasma, the limits of detection were estimated to be 22, 20, 4.8, and 1.0 pmol, respectively, which were lower than those obtained with helium plasma. To achieve quantitative analysis, calibration curves were made by using CWA stimulant dipinacolyl methylphosphonate as an internal standard; straight correlation lines (R(2) = 0.9998) of the peak intensity ratios (target per internal standard) were obtained. Remarkably, GA and GF gave protonated dimer ions, and the ratios of the protonated dimer ions to the protonated

Evaluation of spectroscopic modeling for iron ions and study on non-equilibrium ionization phenomena for solar and LHD plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Tetsuya; Hara, Hirohisa; Yamamoto, Norimasa; Kato, Daiji; Sakaue, Hiroyuki A.; Murakami, Izumi

2013-01-01

Spectroscopic observations of EUV emission lines in the transition region (TR) and the corona provide unique information on physical conditions in the outer atmosphere of the Sun. The EUV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) on board the Hinode satellite is capable of observing, for the first time in EUV, spectra and monochromatic images of plasmas in the solar TR and corona; these plasmas could possibly be in non-ionization-equilibrium conditions. EIS observes over two-wavelength bands of 170 - 210 Å and 250 - 290 Å, with typical time-resolutions of 1 - 10 seconds. Iron line emissions emerging from these wavelengths reveal that dynamic plasma accelerations and heating take place in the solar atmosphere. On the other hand, the tracer-encapsulated-pellet (TESPEL) experiments provide spectral information of EUV emission lines from iron ions produced in the Large Helical Device (LHD). Relatively cool plasmas with electron temperatures similar to those of the solar corona can be generated by controlling the neutral beam injector (NBI) system. A time-dependent collisional radiative (CR) model for elemental iron is developed as a common tool to diagnose temperatures and densities of those plasmas in the Sun and in LHD; no systematic model yet exists for iron ions in the L- and M-shell ionization stages, which are very important for coronal plasma diagnostics. Adopting the best available theoretical calculations, as well as generating the experimental data, we improve the atomic parameters of highly charged iron ions, and these results are used to extract more accurate diagnostic information out of the EIS spectra. (author)

Recombination emissions and spectral blueshift of pump radiation from ultrafast laser induced plasma in a planar water microjet

Science.gov (United States)

Anija, M.; Philip, Reji

2009-09-01

We report spectroscopic investigations of an ultrafast laser induced plasma generated in a planar water microjet. Plasma recombination emissions along with the spectral blueshift and broadening of the pump laser pulse contribute to the total emission. The laser pulses are of 100 fs duration, and the incident intensity is around 10 15 W/cm 2. The dominant mechanisms leading to plasma formation are optical tunnel ionization and collisional ionization. Spectrally resolved polarization measurements show that the high frequency region of the emission is unpolarized whereas the low frequency region is polarized. Results indicate that at lower input intensities the emission arises mainly from plasma recombinations, which is accompanied by a weak blueshift of the incident laser pulse. At higher input intensities strong recombination emissions are seen, along with a broadening and asymmetric spectral blueshift of the pump laser pulse. From the nature of the blueshifted laser pulse it is possible to deduce whether the rate of change of free electron density is a constant or variable within the pulse lifetime. Two input laser intensity regimes, in which collisional and tunnel ionizations are dominant respectively, have been thus identified.

Plasma physics and fusion plasma electrodynamics

CERN Document Server

Bers, Abraham

2016-01-01

Plasma is a ubiquitous state of matter at high temperatures. The electrodynamics of plasmas encompasses a large number of applications, from understanding plasmas in space and the stars, to their use in processing semiconductors, and their role in controlled energy generation by nuclear fusion. This book covers collective and single particle dynamics of plasmas for fully ionized as well as partially ionized plasmas. Many aspects of plasma physics in current fusion energy generation research are addressed both in magnetic and inertial confinement plasmas. Linear and nonlinear dynamics in hydrodynamic and kinetic descriptions are offered, making both simple and complex aspects of the subject available in nearly every chapter. The approach of dividing the basic aspects of plasma physics as "linear, hydrodynamic descriptions" to be covered first because they are "easier", and postponing the "nonlinear and kinetic descriptions" for later because they are "difficult" is abandoned in this book. For teaching purpose...

Plasma-screening effects upon energy levels and electron scattering from neutral and ionized caesium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chin, Y.J.; Radtke, R.; Zimmermann, R.

1988-01-01

Using interaction potentials screened with the Debye-Hueckel length, the effects of plasma shielding on energy levels and electrons scattering from neutral and ionized caesium are estimated. Both energy levels and atomic scattering cross-sections are found to be sensitive to the inclusion of screening. Relating to the scattering by the Cs + ion, a low-energy resonance near E = 0.3 Ryd is found which arises from the f-wave phase shift and reflects the individual behaviour of the scattering ion. (author)

Plasma-screening effects upon energy levels and electron scattering from neutral and ionized caesium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chin, Y J; Radtke, R; Zimmermann, R

1988-01-01

Using interaction potentials screened with the Debye-Hueckel length, the effects of plasma shielding on energy levels and electrons scattering from neutral and ionized caesium are estimated. Both energy levels and atomic scattering cross-sections are found to be sensitive to the inclusion of screening. Relating to the scattering by the Cs/sup +/ ion, a low-energy resonance near E = 0.3 Ryd is found which arises from the f-wave phase shift and reflects the individual behaviour of the scattering ion.

Modulation instability and dissipative rogue waves in ion-beam plasma: Roles of ionization, recombination, and electron attachment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guo, Shimin, E-mail: gsm861@126.com; Mei, Liquan, E-mail: lqmei@mail.xjtu.edu.cn [School of Mathematics and Statistics, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China)

2014-11-15

The amplitude modulation of ion-acoustic waves is investigated in an unmagnetized plasma containing positive ions, negative ions, and electrons obeying a kappa-type distribution that is penetrated by a positive ion beam. By considering dissipative mechanisms, including ionization, negative-positive ion recombination, and electron attachment, we introduce a comprehensive model for the plasma with the effects of sources and sinks. Via reductive perturbation theory, the modified nonlinear Schrödinger equation with a dissipative term is derived to govern the dynamics of the modulated waves. The effect of the plasma parameters on the modulation instability criterion for the modified nonlinear Schrödinger equation is numerically investigated in detail. Within the unstable region, first- and second-order dissipative ion-acoustic rogue waves are present. The effect of the plasma parameters on the characteristics of the dissipative rogue waves is also discussed.

C_1_8-attached membrane funnel-based spray ionization mass spectrometry for quantification of anti-diabetic drug from human plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Wan; Chen, Xiangfeng; Wong, Y.-L. Elaine; Hung, Y.-L. Winnie; Wang, Ze; Deng, Liulin; Dominic Chan, T.-W.

2016-01-01

In this work, sorbent-attached membrane funnel-based spray ionization mass spectrometry was explored for quantitative analysis of anti-diabetic drugs spiked in human plasma. C_1_8-attached membrane funnel was fabricated for in situ extraction and clean-up to alleviate matrix suppression effect in the ionization process. Repaglinide was used as a target analyte of anti-diabetic drugs. Under optimal working conditions, good linearity (R"2 > 0.99) was obtained in the concentration range of 1–100 ng mL"−"1. The method detection limit of target drugs spiked in the human plasma was around 0.30 ng mL"−"1. Through the application of an isotope-labeled internal standard, the signal fluctuation caused by residual background matrices was largely alleviated and the precision of measurement (RSD) was below 15%. The recovery of repaglinide for 5, 25, and 100 ng mL"−"1 of spiked human plasma matrixes ranged from 87% to 112%. The developed method was successfully applied to determine repaglinide in plasma volunteers who orally received a dose of drug association. Our results demonstrated that membrane funnel-based spray is a simple and sensitive method for rapid screening analysis of complex biological samples. - Highlights: • Sorbent attached membrane funnel based spray platform was used for drug determination in human plasma. • The matrix suppression effect of human plasma was largely eliminated. • The method was applied to determine repaglinide in plasma volunteers. • Membrane funnel-based spray is promising for analysis of biological samples.

High density turbulent plasma processes from a shock tube

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oyedeji, O.; Johnson, J.A. III

1991-01-01

We have finished the first stages of our experimental and theoretical investigations on models for energy and momentum transport and for photon-particle collision processes in a turbulent quasi-stationary high density plasma. The system is explored by beginning to determine the turbulence phenomenology associated with an ionizing shock wave. The theoretical underpinnings are explored for phonon particle collisions by determining the collisional redistribution function, using Lioville Space Green's Function, which will characterize the inelastic scattering of the radiation from one frequency to another. We have observed that a weak magnetic field tends to increase the apparent random-like behaviors in a collisional turbulent plasma. On the theoretical side, we have been able to achieve a form for the collisional redistribution function. It remains to apply these concepts to a stationary turbulent plasma in the reflected ionizing shock wave and to exercise the implications of evaluations of the collisional redistribution function for such a system when it is probed by a strong radiation source. These results are discussed in detail in the publications, which have resulted from the this effort, cited at the end of the report

A model for steady-state large-volume plasma generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uhm, H.S.; Miller, J.D.; Schneider, R.F.

1991-01-01

In this paper, a simple, new scheme to generate a uniform, steady-state, large-volume plasma is presented. The weakly magnetized plasma is created by direct ionization of the background gas by low-energy electrons generated from thermionic filaments. An annular arrangement of the filaments ensures a uniform plasma density in the radial direction as predicted by theory. Experiments have been performed to characterize the plasma generated in such a configuration. In order to explain the experimental observation, we develop a bulk plasma theory based on plasma transport via cross-field diffusion. As assumed in the theoretical model, the experimental measurements indicate a uniform plasma density along the axis. Both the theory and experiment indicate that the plasma density is a function of the square of the external magnetic field. The theory also predicts the plasma density to be proportional to the neutral density to the two-thirds power in agreement with the experimental data. We also observe the experimental data to agree remarkably well with theoretical prediction for a broad range of system parameters

DYNAMICS OF CORONAL RAIN AND DESCENDING PLASMA BLOBS IN SOLAR PROMINENCES. II. PARTIALLY IONIZED CASE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oliver, R.; Soler, R.; Terradas, J. [Departament de Física, Universitat de les Illes Balears, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca (Spain); Zaqarashvili, T. V., E-mail: ramon.oliver@uib.es [Institute of Physics, IGAM, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 5, 8010, Graz (Austria)

2016-02-20

Coronal rain clumps and prominence knots are dense condensations with chromospheric to transition region temperatures that fall down in the much hotter corona. Their typical speeds are in the range 30–150 km s{sup −1} and of the order of 10–30 km s{sup −1}, respectively, i.e., they are considerably smaller than free-fall velocities. These cold blobs contain a mixture of ionized and neutral material that must be dynamically coupled in order to fall together, as observed. We investigate this coupling by means of hydrodynamic simulations in which the coupling arises from the friction between ions and neutrals. The numerical simulations presented here are an extension of those of Oliver et al. to the partially ionized case. We find that, although the relative drift speed between the two species is smaller than 1 m s{sup −1} at the blob center, it is sufficient to produce the forces required to strongly couple charged particles and neutrals. The ionization degree has no discernible effect on the main results of our previous work for a fully ionized plasma: the condensation has an initial acceleration phase followed by a period with roughly constant velocity, and, in addition, the maximum descending speed is clearly correlated with the ratio of initial blob to environment density.

Confluence or independence of microwave plasma bullets in atmospheric argon plasma jet plumes

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ping; Chen, Zhaoquan; Mu, Haibao; Xu, Guimin; Yao, Congwei; Sun, Anbang; Zhou, Yuming; Zhang, Guanjun

2018-03-01

Plasma bullet is the formation and propagation of a guided ionization wave (streamer), normally generated in atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ). In most cases, only an ionization front produces in a dielectric tube. The present study shows that two or three ionization fronts can be generated in a single quartz tube by using a microwave coaxial resonator. The argon APPJ plumes with a maximum length of 170 mm can be driven by continuous microwaves or microwave pulses. When the input power is higher than 90 W, two or three ionization fronts propagate independently at first; thereafter, they confluence to form a central plasma jet plume. On the other hand, the plasma bullets move independently as the lower input power is applied. For pulsed microwave discharges, the discharge images captured by a fast camera show the ionization process in detail. Another interesting finding is that the strongest lightening plasma jet plumes always appear at the shrinking phase. Both the discharge images and electromagnetic simulations suggest that the confluence or independent propagation of plasma bullets is resonantly excited by the local enhanced electric fields, in terms of wave modes of traveling surface plasmon polaritons.

Amorphous silicon ionizing particle detectors

Science.gov (United States)

Street, Robert A.; Mendez, Victor P.; Kaplan, Selig N.

1988-01-01

Amorphous silicon ionizing particle detectors having a hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a--Si:H) thin film deposited via plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition techniques are utilized to detect the presence, position and counting of high energy ionizing particles, such as electrons, x-rays, alpha particles, beta particles and gamma radiation.

Effects of ionization and ion loss on dust ion-acoustic solitary waves in a collisional dusty plasma with suprathermal electrons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mayout, Saliha; Gougam, Leila Ait [Faculty of Physics, Theoretical Physics Laboratory, Plasma Physics Group, University of Bab-Ezzouar, USTHB, B.P. 32, El Alia, Algiers 16111 (Algeria); Tribeche, Mouloud, E-mail: mouloudtribeche@yahoo.fr, E-mail: mtribeche@usthb.dz [Faculty of Physics, Theoretical Physics Laboratory, Plasma Physics Group, University of Bab-Ezzouar, USTHB, B.P. 32, El Alia, Algiers 16111 (Algeria); Algerian Academy of Sciences and Technologies, Algiers (Algeria)

2016-03-15

The combined effects of ionization, ion loss, and electron suprathermality on dust ion-acoustic solitary waves in a collisional dusty plasma are examined. Carrying out a small but finite amplitude analysis, a damped Korteweg-de Vries (dK–dV) equation is derived. The damping term decreases with the increase of the spectral index and saturates for Maxwellian electrons. Choosing typical plasma parameters, the analytical approximate solution of the dK-dV equation is numerically analyzed. We first neglect the ionization and ion loss effects and account only for collisions to estimate the relative importance between these damping terms which can act concurrently. Interestingly, we found that as the suprathermal character of the electrons becomes important, the strength of the collisions related dissipation becomes more important and causes the dust ion-acoustic solitary wave amplitude to decay more rapidly. Moreover, the collisional damping may largely prevail over the ionization and ion loss related damping. The latter becomes more effective as the electrons evolve far away from their thermal equilibrium. Our results complement and provide new insights into previously published work on this problem.

Effects of ionization and ion loss on dust ion-acoustic solitary waves in a collisional dusty plasma with suprathermal electrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mayout, Saliha; Gougam, Leila Ait; Tribeche, Mouloud

2016-01-01

The combined effects of ionization, ion loss, and electron suprathermality on dust ion-acoustic solitary waves in a collisional dusty plasma are examined. Carrying out a small but finite amplitude analysis, a damped Korteweg-de Vries (dK–dV) equation is derived. The damping term decreases with the increase of the spectral index and saturates for Maxwellian electrons. Choosing typical plasma parameters, the analytical approximate solution of the dK-dV equation is numerically analyzed. We first neglect the ionization and ion loss effects and account only for collisions to estimate the relative importance between these damping terms which can act concurrently. Interestingly, we found that as the suprathermal character of the electrons becomes important, the strength of the collisions related dissipation becomes more important and causes the dust ion-acoustic solitary wave amplitude to decay more rapidly. Moreover, the collisional damping may largely prevail over the ionization and ion loss related damping. The latter becomes more effective as the electrons evolve far away from their thermal equilibrium. Our results complement and provide new insights into previously published work on this problem.

Self excitation of second harmonic ion-acoustic waves in a weakly magnetized plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsukabayashi, I.; Yagishita, T.; Nakamura, Y.

1994-01-01

Electrostatic ion-acoustic waves in a weakly magnetized plasma are investigated experimentally. It is observed that finite amplitudes ion acoustic waves excite a new second harmonic wave train behind the initial ion waves excite a new second harmonic wave train behind the initial ion waves in a parallel magnetic field. The excitation of higher harmonic waves can be explained by non-linearity of finite amplitude ion-acoustic waves. The newly excited second harmonics waves satisfy a dispersion relation of the ion-acoustic waves. (author). 3 refs, 5 figs

Carbon plasma gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mendel, C.W. Jr.; Zagar, D.M.; Mills, G.S.; Humphries, S. Jr.; Goldstein, S.A.

1980-01-01

A family of plasma guns supplying highly ionized carbon plasma is described. The guns are simple and inexpensive to construct and are pulsed by small capacitor banks of a few hundred joules. The output consists of 10 17 --10 18 multiply ionized carbon ions traveling at about 10 7 cm/s. Neutral output is very low and arrives well after the ionized carbon. The guns and pulsers are very reliable

IONIZATION OF EXTRASOLAR GIANT PLANET ATMOSPHERES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koskinen, Tommi T.; Cho, James Y-K.; Achilleos, Nicholas; Aylward, Alan D.

2010-01-01

Many extrasolar planets orbit close in and are subject to intense ionizing radiation from their host stars. Therefore, we expect them to have strong, and extended, ionospheres. Ionospheres are important because they modulate escape in the upper atmosphere and can modify circulation, as well as leave their signatures, in the lower atmosphere. In this paper, we evaluate the vertical location Z I and extent D I of the EUV ionization peak layer. We find that Z I ∼1-10 nbar-for a wide range of orbital distances (a = 0.047-1 AU) from the host star-and D I /H p ∼>15, where H p is the pressure scale height. At Z I , the plasma frequency is ∼80-450 MHz, depending on a. We also study global ion transport, and its dependence on a, using a three-dimensional thermosphere-ionosphere model. On tidally synchronized planets with weak intrinsic magnetic fields, our model shows only a small, but discernible, difference in electron density from the dayside to the nightside (∼9 x 10 13 m -3 to ∼2 x 10 12 m -3 , respectively) at Z I . On asynchronous planets, the distribution is essentially uniform. These results have consequences for hydrodynamic modeling of the atmospheres of close-in extrasolar giant planets.

Quantum effects on the formation of negative hydrogen ion by polarization electron capture in partially ionized dense hydrogen plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Young-Dae; Kato, Daiji

2009-05-01

The quantum effects on the formation of the negative hydrogen ion (H - ) by the polarization electron capture process are investigated in partially ionized dense hydrogen plasmas. It is shown that the quantum effect strongly suppresses the electron capture radius as well as the cross section for the formation of the negative hydrogen ion. In addition, it has been found that the electron capture position is receded from the center of the projectile with decreasing the quantum effect of the plasma. (author)

Plasma wave amplitude measurement created by guided laser wakefield

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wojda, Franck

2010-01-01

The interaction of an intense laser pulse of short duration with a plasma produces a plasma wave with large amplitude in its wake, which is associated with a longitudinal electric field. It can be used to accelerate relativistic electrons injected into the wave to energies in the GeV range over distances of the order of a few centimeters, short compared to acceleration lengths in conventional accelerators. The control of the electron beam characteristics during the acceleration process is fundamental for achieving a usable laser-plasma acceleration stage. The main result of this thesis is the creation and characterization of a plasma wave in a weakly nonlinear regime over a length of several centimeters. Capillary tubes are used to guide the laser beam over these distances, while maintaining a large enough intensity (∼ 10 17 W/cm 2 ). The guided laser beam ionizes the gas in the tube and creates the plasma wave. A diagnostic based on the modification of the laser pulse spectrum was used to determine the amplitude of the plasma wave along the tube. The amplitude of the plasma wave was studied as a function of gas filling pressure, length of the capillary and laser energy. Experimental results are compared; they are in excellent agreement with analytical results and modeling. They show that the electric field associated with the plasma wave is between 1 and 10 GV/m over a length of up to 8 cm. This work has demonstrated the ability to create a controlled plasma wave in a weakly nonlinear regime. (author)

C{sub 18}-attached membrane funnel-based spray ionization mass spectrometry for quantification of anti-diabetic drug from human plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Wan [Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Hong Kong); Chen, Xiangfeng, E-mail: xiangfchensdas@163.com [Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Hong Kong); Shandong Analysis and Test Centre, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan, Shandong (China); Wong, Y.-L. Elaine; Hung, Y.-L. Winnie; Wang, Ze; Deng, Liulin [Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Hong Kong); Dominic Chan, T.-W., E-mail: twdchan@cuhk.edu.hk [Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Hong Kong)

2016-08-24

In this work, sorbent-attached membrane funnel-based spray ionization mass spectrometry was explored for quantitative analysis of anti-diabetic drugs spiked in human plasma. C{sub 18}-attached membrane funnel was fabricated for in situ extraction and clean-up to alleviate matrix suppression effect in the ionization process. Repaglinide was used as a target analyte of anti-diabetic drugs. Under optimal working conditions, good linearity (R{sup 2} > 0.99) was obtained in the concentration range of 1–100 ng mL{sup −1}. The method detection limit of target drugs spiked in the human plasma was around 0.30 ng mL{sup −1}. Through the application of an isotope-labeled internal standard, the signal fluctuation caused by residual background matrices was largely alleviated and the precision of measurement (RSD) was below 15%. The recovery of repaglinide for 5, 25, and 100 ng mL{sup −1} of spiked human plasma matrixes ranged from 87% to 112%. The developed method was successfully applied to determine repaglinide in plasma volunteers who orally received a dose of drug association. Our results demonstrated that membrane funnel-based spray is a simple and sensitive method for rapid screening analysis of complex biological samples. - Highlights: • Sorbent attached membrane funnel based spray platform was used for drug determination in human plasma. • The matrix suppression effect of human plasma was largely eliminated. • The method was applied to determine repaglinide in plasma volunteers. • Membrane funnel-based spray is promising for analysis of biological samples.

Non-geometrical optics investigation of mode conversion in weakly relativistic inhomogeneous plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Imre, K.

1985-06-01

Electron cyclotron resonance heating of plasmas by waves incident to the fundamental and second harmonic layer is investigated. When the wave propagation is nearly perpendicular to the equilibrium field in a weakly inhomogeneous plasma the standard geometrical optics breaks down and the relativistic corrections become significant at the resonance layer. Unlike the previous studies of this problem, the governing equations are derived from the linearized relativistic Vlasov equation coupled with Maxwell's equations, rather than using the uniform field dispersion relation to construct equations by replacing the refractive index by some spatial differential operations. We employ a boundary layer analysis at the resonance region and match the inner and outer solutions in the usual manner. We obtain not only the full wave solution of the problem, but also the set of physical parameters and their ranges in which the analysis is valid. Although we obtain analytic results for the asymptotic solutions, our analysis usually requires a numerical procedure when the relativistic and/or nonzero parallel refractive index are included

Ponderomotive and weakly relativistic self-focusing of Gaussian laser beam in plasma: Effect of light absorption

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Patil, S. D., E-mail: sdpatilphy@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Devchand College, Arjunnagar, Dist.: Kolhapur 591 237 (India); Takale, M. V. [Department of Physics, Shivaji University, Kolhapur 416 004 (India)

2016-05-06

This paper presents an influence of light absorption on self-focusing of laser beam propagation in plasma. The differential equation for beam-width parameter is obtained using the Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin and paraxial approximations through parabolic equation approach. The nonlinearity in dielectric function is assumed to be aroused due to the combined effect of weakly relativistic and ponderomotive regime. To highlight the nature of propagation, behavior of beam-width parameter with dimensionless distance of propagation is presented graphically and discussed. The present work is helpful to understand issues related to the beam propagation in laser plasma interaction experiments where light absorption plays a vital role.

Propagation of an ionizing surface electromagnetic wave

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boev, A.G.; Prokopov, A.V.

1976-11-01

The propagation of an rf surface wave in a plasma which is ionized by the wave itself is analyzed. The exact solution of the nonlinear Maxwell equations is discussed for the case in which the density of plasma electrons is an exponential function of the square of the electric field. The range over which the surface wave exists and the frequency dependence of the phase velocity are found. A detailed analysis is given for the case of a plasma whose initial density exceeds the critical density at the wave frequency. An increase in the wave amplitude is shown to expand the frequency range over which the plasma is transparent; The energy flux in the plasma tends toward a certain finite value which is governed by the effective ionization field.

NuSTAR reveals an intrinsically x-ray weak broad absorption line quasar in the ultraluminous infrared galaxy Markarian 231

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Teng, Stacy H.; Brandt, W. N.; Harrison, F. A.

2014-01-01

-ionization broad absorption line quasar that is intrinsically X-ray weak. The weak ionizing continuum may explain the lack of mid-infrared [O IV], [Ne V], and [Ne VI] fine-structure emission lines which are present in sources with otherwise similar AGN properties. We argue that the intrinsic X-ray weakness may...

Structure of non-equilibrium seeded plasma excited with microwave; Micro ha reiki hiheiko seed plasma no kozo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miyakawa, M.; Murakami, T.; Suekane, T.; Okuno, Y.; Kabashima, S. [Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo (Japan)

1996-10-20

Structure of non-equilibrium cesium seeded argon plasma excited with microwave power is simulated numerically. The plasmas produced at suitable microwave powers are found to consist of three regimes, that is, the region limited by charged particle loss toward the wall, the full seed ionization and the diffusion limited regions. The fully ionized seed plasma is produced within the skin-depth determined by the electrical conductivity of the plasma, and the thickness of the fully ionized seed plasma depends on the seed fractions gas pressure and microwave power. 15 refs., 6 figs.

Fast combustion waves and chemi-ionization processes in a flame initiated by a powerful local plasma source in a closed reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Artem'ev, K. V.; Berezhetskaya, N. K.; Kazantsev, S. Yu.; Kononov, N. G.; Kossyi, I. A.; Popov, N. A.; Tarasova, N. M.; Filimonova, E. A.; Firsov, K. N.

2015-01-01

Results are presented from experimental studies of the initiation of combustion in a stoichiometric methane–oxygen mixture by a freely localized laser spark and by a high-current multispark discharge in a closed chamber. It is shown that, preceding the stage of ‘explosive’ inflammation of a gas mixture, there appear two luminous objects moving away from the initiator along an axis: a relatively fast and uniform wave of ‘incomplete combustion’ under laser spark ignition and a wave with a brightly glowing plasmoid behind under ignition from high-current slipping surface discharge. The gas mixtures in both the ‘preflame’ and developed-flame states are characterized by a high degree of ionization as the result of chemical ionization (plasma density ne≈1012 cm−3) and a high frequency of electron–neutral collisions (νen≈1012 s−1). The role of chemical ionization in constructing an adequate theory for the ignition of a gas mixture is discussed. The feasibility of the microwave heating of both the preflame and developed-flame plasma, supplementary to a chemical energy source, is also discussed. PMID:26170426

ECR plasma source for heavy ion beam charge neutralization

Science.gov (United States)

Efthimion, Philip C.; Gilson, Erik; Grisham, Larry; Kolchin, Pavel; Davidson, Ronald C.; Yu, Simon; Logan, B. Grant

2003-01-01

Highly ionized plasmas are being considered as a medium for charge neutralizing heavy ion beams in order to focus beyond the space-charge limit. Calculations suggest that plasma at a density of 1 100 times the ion beam density and at a length [similar]0.1 2 m would be suitable for achieving a high level of charge neutralization. An Electron Cyclotron Resonance (ECR) source has been built at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) to support a joint Neutralized Transport Experiment (NTX) at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) to study ion beam neutralization with plasma. The ECR source operates at 13.6 MHz and with solenoid magnetic fields of 1 10 gauss. The goal is to operate the source at pressures [similar]10[minus sign]6 Torr at full ionization. The initial operation of the source has been at pressures of 10[minus sign]4 10[minus sign]1 Torr. Electron densities in the range of 108 to 1011 cm[minus sign]3 have been achieved. Low-pressure operation is important to reduce ion beam ionization. A cusp magnetic field has been installed to improve radial confinement and reduce the field strength on the beam axis. In addition, axial confinement is believed to be important to achieve lower-pressure operation. To further improve breakdown at low pressure, a weak electron source will be placed near the end of the ECR source. This article also describes the wave damping mechanisms. At moderate pressures (> 1 mTorr), the wave damping is collisional, and at low pressures (< 1 mTorr) there is a distinct electron cyclotron resonance.

Determination of the n-octanol/water partition coefficients of weakly ionizable basic compounds by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with neutral model compounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Chao; Han, Shu-ying; Qiao, Jun-qin; Lian, Hong-zhen; Ge, Xin

2014-11-01

A strategy to utilize neutral model compounds for lipophilicity measurement of ionizable basic compounds by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography is proposed in this paper. The applicability of the novel protocol was justified by theoretical derivation. Meanwhile, the linear relationships between logarithm of apparent n-octanol/water partition coefficients (logKow '') and logarithm of retention factors corresponding to the 100% aqueous fraction of mobile phase (logkw ) were established for a basic training set, a neutral training set and a mixed training set of these two. As proved in theory, the good linearity and external validation results indicated that the logKow ''-logkw relationships obtained from a neutral model training set were always reliable regardless of mobile phase pH. Afterwards, the above relationships were adopted to determine the logKow of harmaline, a weakly dissociable alkaloid. As far as we know, this is the first report on experimental logKow data for harmaline (logKow = 2.28 ± 0.08). Introducing neutral compounds into a basic model training set or using neutral model compounds alone is recommended to measure the lipophilicity of weakly ionizable basic compounds especially those with high hydrophobicity for the advantages of more suitable model compound choices and convenient mobile phase pH control. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Handheld low-temperature plasma probe for portable "point-and-shoot" ambient ionization mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Wiley, Joshua S; Shelley, Jacob T; Cooks, R Graham

2013-07-16

We describe a handheld, wireless low-temperature plasma (LTP) ambient ionization source and its performance on a benchtop and a miniature mass spectrometer. The source, which is inexpensive to build and operate, is battery-powered and utilizes miniature helium cylinders or air as the discharge gas. Comparison of a conventional, large-scale LTP source against the handheld LTP source, which uses less helium and power than the large-scale version, revealed that the handheld source had similar or slightly better analytical performance. Another advantage of the handheld LTP source is the ability to quickly interrogate a gaseous, liquid, or solid sample without requiring any setup time. A small, 7.4-V Li-polymer battery is able to sustain plasma for 2 h continuously, while the miniature helium cylinder supplies gas flow for approximately 8 continuous hours. Long-distance ion transfer was achieved for distances up to 1 m.

Ionized magnesium in plasma and erythrocytes for the assessment of low magnesium status in alcohol dependent patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Ordak, Michal; Maj-Zurawska, Magdalena; Matsumoto, Halina; Bujalska-Zadrozny, Magdalena; Kieres-Salomonski, Ilona; Nasierowski, Tadeusz; Muszynska, Elzbieta; Wojnar, Marcin

2017-09-01

Studies on the homeostasis of magnesium in alcohol-dependent patients have often been characterized by low hypomagnesemia detection rates. This may be due to the fact that the content of magnesium in blood serum constitutes only 1% of the average magnesium level within the human body. However, the concentration of ionized magnesium is more physiologically important and makes up 67% of the total magnesium within a human organism. There are no data concerning the determination of the ionized fraction of magnesium in patients addicted to alcohol and its influence on mental health status. This study included 100 alcohol-dependent patients and 50 healthy subjects. The free magnesium fraction was determined using the potentiometric method by means of using ion-selective electrodes. The total magnesium level was determined by using a biochemical Indiko Plus analyzer. In this study, different psychometric scales were applied. Our results confirm the usefulness of ionized magnesium concentrations in erythrocytes and plasma as a diagnostic parameter of low magnesium status in alcohol-dependent patients. The lower the concentration of ionized magnesium, the worse the quality of life an alcohol-dependent person might experience. In the case of total magnesium, no such correlation was determined. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electrical conductivity of the thermal dusty plasma under the conditions of a hybrid plasma environment simulation facility

Science.gov (United States)

Zhukhovitskii, Dmitry I.; Petrov, Oleg F.; Hyde, Truell W.; Herdrich, Georg; Laufer, Rene; Dropmann, Michael; Matthews, Lorin S.

2015-05-01

We discuss the inductively heated plasma generator (IPG) facility in application to the generation of the thermal dusty plasma formed by the positively charged dust particles and the electrons emitted by them. We develop a theoretical model for the calculation of plasma electrical conductivity under typical conditions of the IPG. We show that the electrical conductivity of dusty plasma is defined by collisions with the neutral gas molecules and by the electron number density. The latter is calculated in the approximations of an ideal and strongly coupled particle system and in the regime of weak and strong screening of the particle charge. The maximum attainable electron number density and corresponding maximum plasma electrical conductivity prove to be independent of the particle emissivity. Analysis of available experiments is performed, in particular, of our recent experiment with plasma formed by the combustion products of a propane-air mixture and the CeO2 particles injected into it. A good correlation between the theory and experimental data points to the adequacy of our approach. Our main conclusion is that a level of the electrical conductivity due to the thermal ionization of the dust particles is sufficiently high to compete with that of the potassium-doped plasmas.

Acceleration of Vaporization, Atomization, and Ionization Efficiencies in Inductively Coupled Plasma by Merging Laser-Ablated Particles with Hydrochloric Acid Gas.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakazawa, Takashi; Izumo, Saori; Furuta, Naoki

2016-01-01

To accelerate the vaporization, atomization, and ionization efficiencies in laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, we merged HCl gas with laser-ablated particles before introduction into the plasma, to convert their surface constituents from oxides to lower-melting chlorides. When particles were merged with HCl gas generated from a HCl solution at 200°C, the measured concentrations of elements in the particles were 135% higher on average than the concentrations in particles merged with ultrapure water vapor. Particle corrosion and surface roughness were observed by scanning electron microscopy, and oxide conversion to chlorides was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Under the optimum conditions, the recoveries of measured elements improved by 23% on average, and the recoveries of elements with high-melting oxides (Sr, Zr, and Th) improved by as much as 36%. These results indicate that vaporization, atomization, and ionization in the ICP improved when HCl gas was merged with the ablated particles.

Determination of flomoxef in human plasma by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Kravtsova, Oxana Yu; Paramonov, Sergey A; Vasilevich, Natalya I; Kazyulkin, Denis N; Vlasova, Ekaterina; Engsig, Michael

2013-12-01

A specific, sensitive, rapid and reproducible method for the determination of flomoxef in human plasma using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was developed and validated. Flomoxef was detected using an electrospay ionization method operated in negative-ion mode. Chromatographic separation was performed in gradient elution mode on a Luna® C18(2) column (3 μM, 20 × 4.0 mm) at a flow rate of 1 mL/min and runtime 3.5 min. The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile and water containing 0.1% formic acid as additive. Extraction of flomoxef from plasma and precipitation of plasma proteins was performed with acetonitrile with an absolute recovery of 86.4 ± 1.6%. The calibration curve was linear with a correlation coefficient of 0.999 over the concentration range 10-5000 ng/mL and the lower limit of quantification was 10 ng/mL. The intra- and inter-day precisions were flomoxef revealed that it could be successfully analyzed at 4 ºС over 24 h, but it was unstable in solutions at room temperature during short-term storage (4 h) and several freeze-thaw cycles. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Simulation of laser interaction with ablative plasma and hydrodynamic behavior of laser supported plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tong Huifeng; Yuan Hong [Institute of Fluid Physics, Chinese Academy of Engineering Physics, P.O. Box 919-101, Mianyang, Sichuan 621900 (China); Tang Zhiping [CAS Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Mechanics and Mechanical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026 (China)

2013-01-28

When an intense laser beam irradiates on a solid target, ambient air ionizes and becomes plasma, while part of the target rises in temperature, melts, vaporizes, ionizes, and yet becomes plasma. A general Godunov finite difference scheme WENO (Weighted Essentially Non-Oscillatory Scheme) with fifth-order accuracy is used to simulate 2-dimensional axis symmetrical laser-supported plasma flow field in the process of laser ablation. The model of the calculation of ionization degree of plasma and the interaction between laser beam and plasma are considered in the simulation. The numerical simulations obtain the profiles of temperature, density, and velocity at different times which show the evolvement of the ablative plasma. The simulated results show that the laser energy is strongly absorbed by plasma on target surface and that the velocity of laser supported detonation (LSD) wave is half of the ideal LSD value derived from Chapman-Jouguet detonation theory.

Rapid Hydrophilization of Model Polyurethane/Urea (PURPEG Polymer Scaffolds Using Oxygen Plasma Treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rok Zaplotnik

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Polyurethane/urea copolymers based on poly(ethylene glycol (PURPEG were exposed to weakly ionized, highly reactive low-pressure oxygen plasma to improve their sorption kinetics. The plasma was sustained with an inductively coupled radiofrequency generator operating at various power levels in either E-mode (up to the forward power of 300 W or H-mode (above 500 W. The treatments that used H-mode caused nearly instant thermal degradation of the polymer samples. The density of the charged particles in E-mode was on the order of 1016 m−3, which prevented material destruction upon plasma treatment, but the density of neutral O-atoms in the ground state was on the order of 1021 m−3. The evolution of plasma characteristics during sample treatment in E-mode was determined by optical emission spectroscopy; surface modifications were determined by water adsorption kinetics and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy; and etching intensity was determined by residual gas analysis. The results showed moderate surface functionalization with hydroxyl and carboxyl/ester groups, weak etching at a rate of several nm/s, rather slow activation down to a water contact angle of 30° and an ability to rapidly absorb water.

Ionization Waves in a Fast, Hollow-Cathode-Assisted Capillary Discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rutkevich, I.; Mond, M.; Kaufman, Y.; Choi, P.; Favre, M.

1999-01-01

The initial, low-current stage of the evolution of a soft x-ray emitting, hollow-cathode-assisted capillary discharge initiated by a steep high-voltage pulse is investigated. The capillary is surrounded by a shield having the cathode potential. The mean electric field E of the order of 10 kV/cm and the low gas pressure (P<1Torr) provide conditions for extensive electron runaway. This is taken into account in the formulation of the theoretical approach by retaining the inertial terms in the momentum equation for the electrons. In addition, the ionization rate is calculated by considering the cross section for ionization by high-energy electrons. The two-dimensional system of the basic equations is reduced to a system of one-dimensional equations for the axial distributions of the physical quantities by introducing appropriate radial profiles of the electric potential, and the electron gas parameters and satisfying the electrodynamic boundary conditions at the capillary wall and at the shield. The resulting system of equations admits solutions in the form of stationary ionization waves transferring the anode potential to the cathode end. Numerical calculations of such solutions for argon show that the wave velocity V increases with the gas pressure P and with the density of initial electron beam ejected from the cathode hole ahead of the ionization front, while the dependence of V on the applied voltage is weak. At the instant when the virtual anode reaches the cathode hole, the plasma in the capillary is not yet fully ionized. The traverse time of the ionization wave along the capillary calculated for various gas pressures is in reasonable agreement with experimentally registered time delay for a high-current stage resulting in voltage collapse and soft x-ray emission

Thermal fluctuation levels of magnetic and electric fields in unmagnetized plasma: The rigorous relativistic kinetic theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoon, P. H.; Schlickeiser, R.; Kolberg, U.

2014-01-01

Any fully ionized collisionless plasma with finite random particle velocities contains electric and magnetic field fluctuations. The fluctuations can be of three different types: weakly damped, weakly propagating, or aperiodic. The kinetics of these fluctuations in general unmagnetized plasmas, governed by the competition of spontaneous emission, absorption, and stimulated emission processes, is investigated, extending the well-known results for weakly damped fluctuations. The generalized Kirchhoff radiation law for both collective and noncollective fluctuations is derived, which in stationary plasmas provides the equilibrium energy densities of electromagnetic fluctuations by the ratio of the respective spontaneous emission coefficient and the true absorption coefficient. As an illustrative example, the equilibrium energy densities of aperiodic transverse collective electric and magnetic fluctuations in an isotropic thermal electron-proton plasmas of density n e are calculated as |δB|=√((δB) 2 )=2.8(n e m e c 2 ) 1/2 g 1/2 β e 7/4 and |δE|=√((δE) 2 )=3.2(n e m e c 2 ) 1/2 g 1/3 β e 2 , where g and β e denote the plasma parameter and the thermal electron velocity in units of the speed of light, respectively. For densities and temperatures of the reionized early intergalactic medium, |δB|=6·10 −18 G and |δE|=2·10 −16 G result

Effects of background neutral particles on a field-reversed configuration plasma in the translation process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuzawa, Yoshiki; Asai, Tomohiko; Takahashi, Tsutomu; Takahashi, Toshiki

2008-01-01

A field-reversed configuration (FRC) plasma was translated into a weakly ionized plasma and the effects of heating and particle buildup of the FRC plasma due to the background neutral particles and plasma injection in the translation process were investigated. Improvement of the particle and poloidal flux confinements and delay of onset of n=2 rotational instability were observed in the translation process. It was found that the internal structure of the plasma pressure (plasma temperature and density) at the separatrix and field null was deformed by the particle injection. FRC plasma translation through the background particles was equivalent to an end-on particle beam injection to the FRC plasma. Particles and energy were supplied during the translation. The results obtained for the phenomena of particle supply and plasma heating were also supported by the results of two-dimensional particle simulation. The effects of background particle injection appear to be a promising process for the regeneration of translation kinetic energy to plasma internal energy

A review on ion–ion plasmas created in weakly magnetized electronegative plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aanesland, A; Bredin, J; Chabert, P

2014-01-01

Ion–Ion plasmas are electronegative plasmas where the electron density is several orders of magnitude lower than the negative ion density. These plasmas have been scarcely observed and investigated since the 1960s and are formed as a transient state of pulsed plasmas or in separate regions in magnetized plasmas. In this review we focus on the latter case of continuous formation of ion–ion plasmas created at the periphery of magnetized plasma columns or downstream localized magnetic barriers. We bring together and review experimental results already published elsewhere and complement them with new results to illustrate the physics important in ion–ion plasma formation and highlight in particular unanswered questions. We show that with a good design the density in the ion–ion region is dropping only by a factor of 2–3 from the initial plasma density. These plasmas can therefore be well suited for various ion source applications when both fluxes or beams of positive and negative ions are desired, and when electrons can cause harmful effects. (paper)

Non equilibrium atomic processes and plasma spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, Takako

2003-01-01

Along with the technical progress in plasma spectroscopy, non equilibrium ionization processes have been recently observed. We study non local thermodynamic equilibrium and non ionization equilibrium for various kinds of plasmas. Specifically we discuss non equilibrium atomic processes in magnetically confined plasmas, solar flares and laser produced plasmas using a collisional radiative model based on plasma spectroscopic data. (author)

Crossover from bound to free states in plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lankin, Alexander V; Norman, Genri E

2009-01-01

A self-consistent joint description of free and weakly bound electron states in strongly coupled plasmas is presented. The existence of two problems is emphasized. The first one is a well-known restriction of the number of atomic excited states. Another one is a description of the smooth crossover from bound pair electron-ion excited states to collective excitations of free electrons. The fluctuation approach is developed to study the spectrum domain intermediate between low-lying excited atoms and free electron continuous energy levels. The molecular dynamics method is applied to study the plasma model since the method is able to distinguish all kinds of fluctuations. The electron-ion interaction is described by the temperature-independent cut-off Coulomb potential. The diagnostics of pair electron-ion fluctuations is developed. The concept of pair fluctuations elucidates the smooth vanishing of atomic states near the ionization limit. The approach suggested removes the artificial break of the electron state density at the ionization limit: atomic state density divergent at the negative energy side and free electron state density starting from zero density at the positive energy side

Numerical study on the two-dimensional flows of plasma and ionizing gas using trial particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brushlinskij, K.V.; Kozlov, A.N.; Morozov, A.I.

1985-01-01

Two-dimensional flows of plasma and ionized αs in a channel between two coaxial electrodes are considered in the MHD-model with account of Hall effect. Stationary solutions of the problem on the flow are obtained either analytically in approximation of a ''smooth'' channel - for ideal conducting plasma, or numerically using the methos of establishment - in the ge-neral case of finite conductivity. A method of further numerical analysis of some peculiarities of flow is suggested in the paper. It is based on studying dynamics of single ''test'' particles in fields of the main MHD plasma flow. Trajectory of the test ion is calculated with account for interaction forces with earlier determined electromagentic field and friction responsible for Coulomb collisions with particles of the background flow. The calculations display trajectories of test particles with different masses, initial positions and initial rates. They are shown to be dose to current lines of background medium in plasma of finite conductivity, that testified to the virtue of effectiveness of the MHD-model. In case of ideal conductivity trajectories of test and background particles can noticeably differ from one another. Stabilization effects of motion of particles accidentally knocked out from the flow and separation of pariticles of different mass by electromao.netic forces are considered

What is ''ionizing radiation''?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tschurlovits, M.

1997-01-01

The scientific background of radiation protection and hence ''ionizing radiation'' is undergoing substantial regress since a century. Radiations as we are concerned with are from the beginning defined based upon their effects rather than upon the physical origin and their properties. This might be one of the reasons why the definition of the term ''ionizing radiation'' in radiation protection is still weak from an up to date point of view in texts as well as in international and national standards. The general meaning is unambiguous, but a numerical value depends on a number of conditions and the purpose. Hence, a clear statement on a numerical value of the energy threshold beyond a radiation has to be considered as ''ionizing'' is still missing. The existing definitions are, therefore, either correct but very general or theoretical and hence not applicable. This paper reviews existing definitions and suggests some issues to be taken into account for possible improvement of the definition of ''ionizing radiation''. (author)

Atmospheric Gaseous Plasma with Large Dimensions

Science.gov (United States)

Korenev, Sergey

2012-10-01

The forming of atmospheric plasma with large dimensions using electrical discharge typically uses the Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD). The study of atmospheric DBD was shown some problems related to homogeneous volume plasma. The volume of this plasma determines by cross section and gas gap between electrode and dielectric. The using of electron beam for volume ionization of air molecules by CW relativistic electron beams was shown the high efficiency of this process [1, 2]. The main advantage of this approach consists in the ionization of gas molecules by electrons in longitudinal direction determines by their kinetic energy. A novel method for forming of atmospheric homogeneous plasma with large volume dimensions using ionization of gas molecules by pulsed non-relativistic electron beams is presented in the paper. The results of computer modeling for delivered doses of electron beams in gases and ionization are discussed. The structure of experimental bench with plasma diagnostics is considered. The preliminary results of forming atmospheric plasma with ionization gas molecules by pulsed nanosecond non-relativistic electron beam are given. The analysis of potential applications for atmospheric volume plasma is presented. Reference: [1] S. Korenev. ``The ionization of air by scanning relativistic high power CW electron beam,'' 2002 IEEE International Conference on Plasma Science. May 2002, Alberta, Canada. [2] S. Korenev, I. Korenev. ``The propagation of high power CW scanning electron beam in air.'' BEAMS 2002: 14th International Conference on High-Power Particle Beams, Albuquerque, New Mexico (USA), June 2002, AIP Conference Proceedings Vol. 650(1), pp. 373-376. December 17.

Ionization efficiency of a COMIC ion source equipped with a quartz plasma chamber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suominen, P.; Stora, T.; Sortais, P.; Medard, J.

2012-01-01

Increased ionization efficiencies of light noble gases and molecules are required for new physics experiments in present and future radioactive ion beam facilities. In order to improve these beams, a new COMIC-type ion source with fully quartz made plasma chamber was tested. The beam current stability is typically better than 1 % and beams are easily reproducible. The highest efficiency for xenon is about 15 %. However, the main goal is to produce molecular beam including radioactive carbon (in CO or CO 2 ), in which case the efficiency was measured to be only about 0.2%. This paper describes the experimental prototype and its performance and provides ideas for future development. This paper is followed by the associated poster. (authors)

Magnetic field-aligned plasma expansion in critical ionization velocity space experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, N.

1989-01-01

Motivated by the recent Critical Ionization Velocity (CIV) experiments in space, the temporal evolution of a plasma cloud released in an ambient plasma is studied. Time-dependent Vlasov equations for both electrons and ions, along with the Poisson equation for the self-consistent electric field parallel to the ambient magnetic field, are solved. The initial cloud is assumed to consist of cold, warm, and hot electrons with temperatures T/sub c/ ≅ 0.2 eV, T/sub w/ ≅ 2 eV, and T/sub h/ ≅ 10 eV, respectively. It is found that the minor hot electrons escape the cloud, and their velocity distribution function shows the typical time-of-flight dispersion feature - that is, the larger the distance from the cloud, the larger is the average drift velocity of the escaping electrons. The major warm electrons expand along the magnetic field line with the corresponding ion-acoustic speed. The combined effect of the escaping hot electrons and the expanding warm ones sets up an electric potential structure which accelerates the ambient electrons into the cloud. Thus, the energy loss due to the electron escape is partly replenished. The electric field distribution in the potential structure depends on the stage of the evolution; before the rarefaction waves propagating from the edges of the cloud reach its center, the electric fields point into the cloud. After this stage the cloud divides into two subclouds, with each having their own bipolar electric fields. Effects of collisions on the evolution of plasma clouds are also discussed. The relevance of the results seen from the calculations are discussed in the context of recent space experiments on CIV

Microwave-assisted Weak Acid Hydrolysis of Proteins

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miyeong Seo

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Myoglobin was hydrolyzed by microwave-assisted weak acid hydrolysis with 2% formic acid at 37 oC, 50 oC, and100 oC for 1 h. The most effective hydrolysis was observed at 100 oC. Hydrolysis products were investigated using matrixassistedlaser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Most cleavages predominantly occurred at the C-termini ofaspartyl residues. For comparison, weak acid hydrolysis was also performed in boiling water for 20, 40, 60, and 120 min. A 60-min weak acid hydrolysis in boiling water yielded similar results as a 60-min microwave-assisted weak acid hydrolysis at100 oC. These results strongly suggest that microwave irradiation has no notable enhancement effect on acid hydrolysis of proteinsand that temperature is the major factor that determines the effectiveness of weak acid hydrolysis.

Influence mechanism of low-dose ionizing radiation on Escherichia coli DH5α population based on plasma theory and system dynamics simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Yi; Hu, Dawei; Li, Liang; Jing, Zheng; Wei, Chuanfeng; Zhang, Lantao; Fu, Yuming

2016-01-01

It remains a mystery why the growth rate of bacteria is higher in low-dose ionizing radiation (LDIR) environment than that in normal environment. In this study, a hypothesis composed of environmental selection and competitive exclusion was firstly proposed from observed phenomena, experimental data and microbial ecology. Then a LDIR environment simulator (LDIRES) was built to cultivate a model organism of bacteria, Escherichia coli (E. coli) DH5α, the accurate response of bacterial population to ionizing radiation intensity variation was measured experimentally, and then the precise relative dosage of ionizing radiation E. coli DH5α population received was calculated by finite element analysis based on drift-diffusion equations of plasma. Finally, a highly valid mathematical model expressing the relationship between E. coli DH5α population and LDIR intensity was developed by system dynamics based on hypotheses, experimental data and microbial ecology. Both experiment and simulation results clearly showed that the E. coli DH5α individuals with greater specific growth rate and lower substrate consumption coefficient would adapt and survive in LDIR environment and those without such adaptability were finally eliminated under the combined effects of ionizing radiation selection and competitive exclusion. - Highlights: • Establishment of a low-dose ionizing radiation (LDIR) environment simulator. • Escherichiacoli DH5α was selected as a bacterial representative for investigation. • Precise LDIR intensity for E. coli DH5α was calculated by FEA and plasma theory. • Development of system dynamics model of LDIR influence on E. coli DH5α population. • Mechanism of bacterial boom in LDIR environment was elucidated by computer simulation.

An investigation into the role of metastable states on excited populations of weakly ionized argon plasmas, with applications for optical diagnostics

Science.gov (United States)

Arnold, Nicholas; Loch, Stuart; Ballance, Connor; Thomas, Ed

2017-10-01

Low temperature plasmas (Te ADAS) code suite to calculate a level-resolved, generalized collisional-radiative (GCR) model for line emission in low temperature argon plasmas. By combining our theoretical model with experimental electron temperature, density, and spectral measurements from the Auburn Linear eXperiment for Instability Studies (ALEXIS), we have developed diagnostic techniques to measure metastable fraction, electron temperature, and electron density. In the future we hope to refine our methods, and extend our model to plasmas other than ALEXIS. Supported by the U.S. Department of Energy. Grant Number: DE-FG02-00ER54476.

The isentropic relation in plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burm, K T A L

2004-01-01

The isentropic relation from gas dynamics relates pressure, density and temperature. The use of this relation may ease the hydrodynamic modelling effort. Characteristic for the isentropic relation is the constant isentropic exponent. The isentropic exponent is also in the case of plasmas a constant as long as the ionization degree is between 5 and 80%. This constant is lower due to the extra degree of freedom which comes with ionization in plasmas. The occurrence of ionization means that plasmas are never isentropic. The isentropic relation itself is therefore adapted here to include plasmas within its concept. From the plasma isentropic relation a further extension is to include viscosity and heating. It is found that all extra non-isentropic inclusions further lower the (quasi-) isentropic exponent in the adapted isentropic relation

State of the Art of Hard and Soft Ionization Mass Spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Helal, A.I.

2008-01-01

The principles of hard and soft ionization sources, providing some details on the practical aspects of their uses as well as ionization mechanisms are discussed. The conditions and uses of hard ionization methods such as electron impact, thermal ionization and inductively coupled plasma techniques are discussed. Moreover, new generation of soft ionization methods such as matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization, electro spray ionization and direct analysis in real time are illustrated

DETECTION OF REST-FRAME OPTICAL LINES FROM X-SHOOTER SPECTROSCOPY OF WEAK EMISSION-LINE QUASARS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plotkin, Richard M.; Gallo, Elena; Shemmer, Ohad; Trakhtenbrot, Benny; Anderson, Scott F.; Brandt, W. N.; Luo, Bin; Schneider, Donald P.; Fan, Xiaohui; Lira, Paulina; Richards, Gordon T.; Strauss, Michael A.; Wu, Jianfeng

2015-01-01

Over the past 15 yr, examples of exotic radio-quiet quasars with intrinsically weak or absent broad emission line regions (BELRs) have emerged from large-scale spectroscopic sky surveys. Here, we present spectroscopy of seven such weak emission line quasars (WLQs) at moderate redshifts (z = 1.4–1.7) using the X-shooter spectrograph, which provides simultaneous optical and near-infrared spectroscopy covering the rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) through optical. These new observations effectively double the number of WLQs with spectroscopy in the optical rest-frame, and they allow us to compare the strengths of (weak) high-ionization emission lines (e.g., C iv) to low-ionization lines (e.g., Mg ii, Hβ, Hα) in individual objects. We detect broad Hβ and Hα emission in all objects, and these lines are generally toward the weaker end of the distribution expected for typical quasars (e.g., Hβ has rest-frame equivalent widths ranging from 15–40 Å). However, these low-ionization lines are not exceptionally weak, as is the case for high-ionization lines in WLQs. The X-shooter spectra also display relatively strong optical Fe ii emission, Hβ FWHM ≲ 4000 km s −1 , and significant C iv blueshifts (≈1000–5500 km s −1 ) relative to the systemic redshift; two spectra also show elevated UV Fe ii emission, and an outflowing component to their (weak) Mg ii emission lines. These properties suggest that WLQs are exotic versions of “wind-dominated” quasars. Their BELRs either have unusual high-ionization components, or their BELRs are in an atypical photoionization state because of an unusually soft continuum

Electronic perturbation investigations into excitation and ionization in the millisecond pulsed glow discharge plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Lei; Robertson-Honecker, Jennifer; Vaghela, Vishal; King, Fred L.

2006-01-01

This study employed a power perturbation method to examine the energy transfer processes at different locations within the afterpeak regime of a millisecond pulsed glow discharge plasma. Brief power perturbation pulses were applied during the afterpeak regime altering the environment of the collapsing plasma. Responses of several transitions to the power perturbations were measured via atomic emission and absorption spectroscopic methods at various distances from the surface of the cathode. The experimental data provide further insight into the energy transfer processes that occur at different spatial locations and in different temporal regimes of these pulsed glow discharge plasmas. Although the enhancement of the large population of metastable argon atoms is again confirmed, the mechanism responsible for this enhancement remains unclear. The most likely possibility involves some form of ion-electron recombination followed by radiative relaxation of the resulting species. The metastable argon atoms subsequently Penning ionize sputtered copper atoms which then appear to undergo a similar ion-electron recombination process yielding variable degrees of observable afterpeak emission for copper atom transitions. The kinetic information of these processes was approximated from the corresponding relaxation time. The electron thermalization time allowing for recombination with ions was found to be ∼25 μs after the discharge power termination

INJECTION TO RAPID DIFFUSIVE SHOCK ACCELERATION AT PERPENDICULAR SHOCKS IN PARTIALLY IONIZED PLASMAS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ohira, Yutaka, E-mail: ohira@phys.aoyama.ac.jp [Department of Physics and Mathematics, Aoyama Gakuin University, 5-10-1 Fuchinobe, Sagamihara 252-5258 (Japan)

2016-08-10

We present a three-dimensional hybrid simulation of a collisionless perpendicular shock in a partially ionized plasma for the first time. In this simulation, the shock velocity and upstream ionization fraction are v {sub sh} ≈ 1333 km s{sup −1} and f {sub i} ∼ 0.5, which are typical values for isolated young supernova remnants (SNRs) in the interstellar medium. We confirm previous two-dimensional simulation results showing that downstream hydrogen atoms leak into the upstream region and are accelerated by the pickup process in the upstream region, and large magnetic field fluctuations are generated both in the upstream and downstream regions. In addition, we find that the magnetic field fluctuations have three-dimensional structures and the leaking hydrogen atoms are injected into the diffusive shock acceleration (DSA) at the perpendicular shock after the pickup process. The observed DSA can be interpreted as shock drift acceleration with scattering. In this simulation, particles are accelerated to v ∼ 100 v {sub sh} ∼ 0.3 c within ∼100 gyroperiods. The acceleration timescale is faster than that of DSA in parallel shocks. Our simulation results suggest that SNRs can accelerate cosmic rays to 10{sup 15.5} eV (the knee) during the Sedov phase.

Cell Proliferation on Polyethylene Terephthalate Treated in Plasma Created in SO2/O2 Mixtures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nina Recek

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Samples of polymer polyethylene terephthalate were exposed to a weakly ionized gaseous plasma to modify the polymer surface properties for better cell cultivation. The gases used for treatment were sulfur dioxide and oxygen of various partial pressures. Plasma was created by an electrodeless radio frequency discharge at a total pressure of 60 Pa. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed weak functionalization of the samples’ surfaces with the sulfur, with a concentration around 2.5 at %, whereas the oxygen concentration remained at the level of untreated samples, except when the gas mixture with oxygen concentration above 90% was used. Atomic force microscopy revealed highly altered morphology of plasma-treated samples; however, at high oxygen partial pressures this morphology vanished. The samples were then incubated with human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Biological tests to determine endothelialization and possible toxicity of the plasma-treated polyethylene terephthalate samples were performed. Cell metabolic activity (MTT and in vitro toxic effects of unknown compounds (TOX were assayed to determine the biocompatibility of the treated substrates. The biocompatibility demonstrated a well-pronounced maximum versus gas composition which correlated well with development of the surface morphology.

Ionization processes in combined high-voltage nanosecond - laser discharges in inert gas

Science.gov (United States)

Starikovskiy, Andrey; Shneider, Mikhail; PU Team

2016-09-01

Remote control of plasmas induced by laser radiation in the atmosphere is one of the challenging issues of free space communication, long-distance energy transmission, remote sensing of the atmosphere, and standoff detection of trace gases and bio-threat species. Sequences of laser pulses, as demonstrated by an extensive earlier work, offer an advantageous tool providing access to the control of air-plasma dynamics and optical interactions. The avalanche ionization induced in a pre-ionized region by infrared laser pulses where investigated. Pre-ionization was created by an ionization wave, initiated by high-voltage nanosecond pulse. Then, behind the front of ionization wave extra avalanche ionization was initiated by the focused infrared laser pulse. The experiment was carried out in argon. It is shown that the gas pre-ionization inhibits the laser spark generation under low pressure conditions.

The physics of the ionized media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gresillon, D.; Virmont, J.

1988-01-01

The 1988 progress report of the laboratory of the Ionized Media Physics (Polytechnic School, France), is presented. The most important results are obtained on the field of waves: the study of the conversion of a proper mode into another one, by means of the electromagnetic wave scattering. The research program involves the following topics: plasma nonlinear physics, fluctuations and transport phenomena in magnetic fusion plasmas, plasmas and negatif ion beams, beam and plasma radiations, atomic physics and spectroscopic plasma diagnostics, The published papers, the congress communications, the thesis and the patents are listed [fr

Current filamentation caused by the electrochemical instability in a fully ionized plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haines, M.G.; Marsh, F.

1983-01-01

This chapter is primarily concerned with the non-linear development of electrothermal instabilities in a fully ionized plasma discharge in which the current is predominantly carried parallel to an applied magnetic field, as in the Tokamak configuration. Discusses instabilities with wave-number K perpendicular to magnetic field B and current J; the non-linear steady state; amplitude of the filaments; and runaway electrons and ion acoustic instabilities. Concludes that the steady non-linear amplitude of the fully developed instability shows a spiky filamentary structure with the possibility of the generation of runaway electrons and ion acoustic turbulence in the current maxima. Finds that the addition of bremsstrahlung radiation loss enhances the instability, reducing the critical ratio of T /SUB e/ to T /SUB i/ for its onset, and yielding a maximum ion temperature attainable by Joule heating and equipartition

Multi-fluid Approach to High-frequency Waves in Plasmas. III. Nonlinear Regime and Plasma Heating

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Gómez, David; Soler, Roberto; Terradas, Jaume

2018-03-01

The multi-fluid modeling of high-frequency waves in partially ionized plasmas has shown that the behavior of magnetohydrodynamic waves in the linear regime is heavily influenced by the collisional interaction between the different species that form the plasma. Here, we go beyond linear theory and study large-amplitude waves in partially ionized plasmas using a nonlinear multi-fluid code. It is known that in fully ionized plasmas, nonlinear Alfvén waves generate density and pressure perturbations. Those nonlinear effects are more pronounced for standing oscillations than for propagating waves. By means of numerical simulations and analytical approximations, we examine how the collisional interaction between ions and neutrals affects the nonlinear evolution. The friction due to collisions dissipates a fraction of the wave energy, which is transformed into heat and consequently raises the temperature of the plasma. As an application, we investigate frictional heating in a plasma with physical conditions akin to those in a quiescent solar prominence.

Study of plasma parameters influencing fractionation in laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry

Science.gov (United States)

Gäckle, M.; Merten, D.

2010-12-01

Methods permitting to test the influence of the matrix as well as of its local and temporal distribution on the plasma conditions in laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) are developed. For this purpose, the MS interface is used as plasma probe allowing to investigate the average plasma condition within the ICP zone observed in terms of temporal and spatial distribution of the matrix. Inserted matrix particles, particularly when being atomized and ionized, can cause considerable changes in both electron density and plasma temperature thus influencing the ionization equilibrium of the individual analytes. In this context, the plasma probe covers a region of the plasma for which no local thermodynamic equilibrium can be assumed. The differences in temperature, identified within the region of the plasma observed, amounted up to 3000 K. While in the central region conditions were detected that would not allow efficient atomization and ionization of the matrix, these conditions improve considerably towards the margin of the area observed. Depending on the nature as well as on the temporally and locally variable density of the matrix, this can lead to varying intensity ratios of the analytes and explain fractionation effects. By means of a derived equation it is shown that the deviation of the intensity ratio from the concentration ratio turns out to be more serious the higher the difference of the ionization potential of the analytes observed, the lower the plasma temperature and the higher the matrix concentration within the area observed.

Screening of agrochemicals in foodstuffs using low-temperature plasma (LTP) ambient ionization mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Wiley, Joshua S; García-Reyes, Juan F; Harper, Jason D; Charipar, Nicholas A; Ouyang, Zheng; Cooks, R Graham

2010-05-01

Low-temperature plasma (LTP) permits direct ambient ionization and mass analysis of samples in their native environment with minimal or no prior preparation. LTP utilizes dielectric barrier discharges (DBDs) to create a low power plasma which is guided by gas flow onto the sample from which analytes are desorbed and ionized. In this study, the potential of LTP-MS for the detection of pesticide residues in food is demonstrated. Thirteen multi-class agricultural chemicals were studied (ametryn, amitraz, atrazine, buprofezin, DEET, diphenylamine, ethoxyquin, imazalil, isofenphos-methyl, isoproturon, malathion, parathion-ethyl and terbuthylazine). To evaluate the potential of the proposed approach, LTP-MS experiments were performed directly on fruit peels as well as on fruit/vegetable extracts. Most of the agrochemicals examined displayed remarkable sensitivity in the positive ion mode, giving limits of detection (LOD) for the direct measurement in the low picogram range. Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) was used to confirm identification of selected pesticides by using for these experiments spiked fruit/vegetable extracts (QuEChERS, a standard sample treatment protocol) at levels as low as 1 pg, absolute, for some of the analytes. Comparisons of the data obtained by direct LTP-MS were made with the slower but more accurate conventional LC-MS/MS procedure. Herbicides spiked in aqueous solutions were detectable at LODs as low as 0.5 microg L(-1) without the need for any sample preparation. The results demonstrate that ambient LTP-MS can be applied for the detection and confirmation of traces of agrochemicals in actual market-purchased produce and in natural water samples. Quantitative analysis was also performed in a few selected cases and displayed a relatively high degree of linearity over four orders of magnitude.

Electromagnetic weak turbulence theory revisited

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoon, P. H. [IPST, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742 (United States); Ziebell, L. F. [Instituto de Fisica, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil); Gaelzer, R.; Pavan, J. [Instituto de Fisica e Matematica, UFPel, Pelotas, RS (Brazil)

2012-10-15

The statistical mechanical reformulation of weak turbulence theory for unmagnetized plasmas including fully electromagnetic effects was carried out by Yoon [Phys. Plasmas 13, 022302 (2006)]. However, the wave kinetic equation for the transverse wave ignores the nonlinear three-wave interaction that involves two transverse waves and a Langmuir wave, the incoherent analogue of the so-called Raman scattering process, which may account for the third and higher-harmonic plasma emissions. The present paper extends the previous formalism by including such a term.

Radiation dependent ionization model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Busquet, M.

1991-01-01

For laser created plasma simulation, hydrodynamics codes need a non-LTE atomic physics package for both EOS and optical properties (emissivity and opacity). However in XRL targets as in some ICF targets, high Z material can be found. In these cases radiation trapping can induce a significant departure from the optically thin ionization description. The authors present a method to change an existing LTE code into a non-LTE code with coupling of ionization to radiation. This method has very low CPU cost and can be used in 2D simulations

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.

Recombination of a fast expanding plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salvat, M.

1979-05-01

The goal of the following calculations is to determine numerically the recombination of dense plasmas (for instance of laser-produced plasmas). The recombination is computed for plasmas with initial densities of 10 24 27 [m -3 ] and with initial temperatures >= 50 eV. The ionization of the plasma remains essentially constant during the early phase of expansion. The time for which the ionization is 'frozen-in' grows with decreasing initial density and with increasing initial temperature. (orig.) [de

Fast measure proceeding of weak currents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taieb, J.

1953-01-01

The process of fast measure of the weak currents that we are going to describe briefly apply worthy of the provided currents by the sources to elevated value internal resistance, as it is the case for the ionization chamber, the photocells, mass spectroscopic tubes. The problem to measure weak currents is essentially a problem of amplifier and of input circuit. We intended to achieve a whole amplifier and input circuit with advanced performances, meaning that for a measured celerity we wanted to have an signal/noise ratio the most important as in the classic systems and for a same report signal/noise a more quickly done measure. (M.B.) [fr

Demonstration of soft x-ray amplification by optical-field-induced ionization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Midorikawa, Katsumi; Nagata, Yutaka; Kubodera, Shoichi; Obara, Minoru; Tashiro, Hideo; Toyoda, Koichi

1995-01-01

We have demonstrated the amplification of the 13.5-nm Lyman-α transition in hydrogen-like Li + ions, using a novel optical-field-induced ionization. A small-signal gain coefficient of 20 cm -1 was obtained. The use of preformed Li + plasma as an initial laser medium plays important roles for the production of suitable plasma conditions for an optical-field-induced ionization x-ray laser. (author)

On possible structures of transverse ionizing shock waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liberman, M.A.; Velikovich, A.L.

1978-01-01

The possible structures of ionizing shock waves propagating in gases across the magnetic field are investigated taking account of both ionization kinetics and the non-isothermality of the plasma which is formed within the shock front. It is shown that a definite factor in shaping the structure of the transverse ionizing shock wave is photo-ionization of the neutral gas across the front. The paper includes a study of the evolution of the transverse ionizing shock front with regard to photo-ionization, disclosing that a stable stationary shock structure emerges only in boundary conditions which are close to magnetohydrodynamic ones, i.e. upsilon 1 H 1 = upsilon 2 H 2 . In the case of strong transverse ionizing shock waves, when the flux of ionizing radiation across the front is great, the shock structure is obviously magnetohydrodynamic. (author)

Partially ionized plasmas including the third symposium on uranium plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krishnan, M. [ed.

1976-09-01

Separate abstracts are included for 28 papers on electrically generated plasmas, fission generated plasmas, nuclear pumped lasers, gaseous fuel reactor research, and applications. Five papers have been previously abstracted and included in ERA.

Optimal pulse modulator design criteria for plasma source ion implanters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reass, W.

1993-01-01

This paper describes what are believed to be the required characteristics of a high-voltage modulator for efficient and optimal ion deposition from the ''Plasma Source Ion Implantation'' (PSII) process. The PSII process is a method to chemically or physically alter and enhance surface properties of objects by placing them in a weakly ionized plasma and pulsing the object with a high negative voltage. The attracted ions implant themselves and form chemical bonds or are interstitially mixed with the base material. Present industrial uses of implanted objects tends to be for limited-production, high-value-added items. Traditional implanting hardware uses the typical low-current (ma) semiconductor ''raster scan'' implanters. The targets must also be manipulated to maintain a surface normal to the ion beam. The PSII method can provide ''bulk'' equipment processing on a large industrial scale. For the first generation equipment, currents are scaled from milliamps to hundreds of amps, voltages to -175kV, at kilohertz rep-rates, and high plasma ion densities

Experiments on the Scaling of Ionization Balance vs. Electron and Radiation Temperature in Non-LTE Gold Plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heeter, R.F.; Hansen, S.B.; Beiersdorfer, P.; Foord, M.E.; Fournier, K.B.; Froula, D.H.; Mackinnon, A.J.; May, M.J.; Schneider, M.B.; Young, B.K.F.

2004-01-01

Understanding and predicting the behavior of high-Z non-LTE plasmas is important for developing indirect-drive inertial confinement fusion. Extending earlier work from the Nova laser, we present results from experiments using the Omega laser to study the ionization balance of gold as a function of electron and radiation temperature. In these experiments, gold samples embedded in Be disks expand under direct laser heating to ne ≅ 1021cm-3, with Te varying from 0.8 to 2.5 keV. An additional finite radiation field with effective temperature Tr up to 150 eV is provided by placing the gold Be disks inside truncated 1.2 mm diameter tungsten-coated cylindrical hohlraums with full laser entrance holes. Densities are measured by imaging of plasma expansion. Electron temperatures are diagnosed with either 2ω or 4ω Thomson scattering, and also K-shell spectroscopy of KCl tracers co-mixed with the gold. Hohlraum flux and effective radiation temperature are measured using an absolutely-calibrated multichannel filtered diode array. Spectroscopic measurements of the M-shell gold emission in the 2.9-4 keV spectral range provide ionization balance and charge state distribution information. The spectra show strong variation with Te, strong variation with the applied Tr, at Te below 1.6 keV, and relatively little variation with Tr at higher Te (upwards of 2 keV). We summarize our most recent spectral analyses and discuss emerging and outstanding issues

Comparison of two equation-of-state models for partially ionized aluminum: Zel'dovich and Raizer's model versus the activity expansion code

Science.gov (United States)

Harrach, Robert J.; Rogers, Forest J.

1981-09-01

Two equation-of-state (EOS) models for multipy ionized matter are evaluated for the case of an aluminum plasma in the temperature range from about one eV to several hundred eV, spanning conditions of weak to strong ionization. Specifically, the simple analytical mode of Zel'dovich and Raizer and the more comprehensive model comprised by Rogers' plasma physics avtivity expansion code (ACTEX) are used to calculate the specific internal energy ɛ and average degree of ionization Z¯*, as functons of temperature T and density ρ. In the absence of experimental data, these results are compared against each other, covering almost five orders-of-magnitude variation in ɛ and the full range of Z¯* We find generally good agreement between the two sets of results, especially for low densities and for temperatures near the upper end of the rage. Calculated values of ɛ(T) agree to within ±30% over nearly the full range in T for densities below about 1 g/cm3. Similarly, the two models predict values of Z¯*(T) which track each other fairly well; above 20 eV the discrepancy is less than ±20% fpr ρ≲1 g/cm3. Where the calculations disagree, we expect the ACTEX code to be more accurate than Zel'dovich and Raizer's model, by virtue of its more detailed physics content.

A SIMPLE AND RAPID MATRIX-ASSISTED LASER DESORPTION/IONIZATION TIME OF FLIGHT MASS SPECTROMETRY METHOD TO SCREEN FISH PLASMA SAMPLES FOR ESTROGEN-RESPONSIVE BIOMARKERS

Science.gov (United States)

In this study, we describe and evaluate the performance of a simple and rapid mass spectral method for screening fish plasma for estrogen-responsive biomarkers using matrix assisted laster desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) couopled with a short...

16. Hot dense plasma atomic processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Werner, Dappen; Totsuji, H.; Nishii, Y.

2002-01-01

This document gathers 13 articles whose common feature is to deal with atomic processes in hot plasmas. Density functional molecular dynamics method is applied to the hydrogen plasma in the domain of liquid metallic hydrogen. The effects of the density gradient are taken into account in both the electronic kinetic energy and the exchange energy and it is shown that they almost cancel with each other, extending the applicability of the Thomas-Fermi-Dirac approximation to the cases where the density gradient is not negligible. Another article reports about space and time resolved M-shell X-ray measurements of a laser-produced gas jet xenon plasma. Plasma parameters have been measured by ion acoustic and electron plasma waves Thomson scattering. Photo-ionization becomes a dominant atomic process when the density and the temperature of plasmas are relatively low and when the plasma is submitted to intense external radiation. It is shown that 2 plasmas which have a very different density but have the same ionization parameters, are found in a similar ionization state. Most radiation hydrodynamics codes use radiative opacity data from available libraries of atomic data. Several articles are focused on the determination of one group Rosseland and Planck mean analytical formulas for several single elements used in inertial fusion targets. In another paper the plasma density effect on population densities, effective ionization, recombination rate coefficients and on emission lines from carbon and Al ions in hot dense plasma, is studied. The last article is devoted to a new atomic model in plasmas that considers the occupation probability of the bound state and free state density in the presence of the plasma micro-field. (A.C.)

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.

Maxima and minima of the orientation phenomena for direct 1s→2p+-1 electron-ion collisional excitations in weakly coupled plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoon Jung-Sik; Jung Young-Dae

1999-01-01

Orientation phenomena for direct 1s→2p +-1 electron-ion collisional excitations in weakly coupled plasma are investigated using the semiclassical trajectory method including the close-encounter effects. In weakly coupled plasmas, the electron-ion interaction potential is given by the classical nonspherical Debye-Hueckel model. The semiclassical screened hyperbolic-orbit trajectory method is applied to describe the motion of the projectile electron in order to investigate the variation of the orientation parameter as a function of the impact parameter, projectile energy, and Debye length. A comparison is also given for the hyperbolic-orbit and straight-line trajectory methods. The results show that the orientation parameters obtained by the hyperbolic-orbit trajectory method have maxima and minima for small impact parameter regions. In other words, there are complete 1s→2p +1 (maxima) and complete 1s→2p -1 (minima) transitions for certain impact parameters. These maxima cannot be found using the straight-line trajectory method. The variation of the propensity of the 1s→2p -1 transitions due to the plasma screening effects on the atomic wave functions is also discussed

Determination of clarithromycin in human plasma by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Yao; Wang, Jiang; Li, Hao; Wang, Yingwu; Gu, Jingkai

2007-03-12

A rapid and sensitive method has been developed for the determination of clarithromycin in human plasma with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Clarithromycin and the internal standard, telmisartan were precipitated from the matrix (50 microl) with 200 microl acetonitrile and separated by HPLC using formic acid:10 mM ammonium acetate:methanol (1:99:400, v/v/v) as the mobile phase. The assay based on detection by electrospray positive ionization mass spectrometry in the multiple-reaction monitoring mode was finished within 2.4 min. Linearity was over the concentration range 10-5000 ng/ml with a limit of detection of 0.50 ng/ml. Intra- and inter-day precision measured as relative standard deviation were bioequivalence study of two tablet formulations of clarithromycin.

Wiedemann-Franz ratio in high-pressure and low-temperature thermal xenon plasma with 10% caesium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Novakovic, N.V.; Milic, B.S.; Stojilkovic, S.M.

1995-01-01

Theoretical investigations of various transport properties of low-temperature noble-gas plasmas with additives has aroused a continuous interest over a considerable spall of time, due to numerous applications. In this paper the results of a theoretical evaluation of electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity and their ratio (the Wiedemann-Franz ratio) in xenon plasma with 10% of argon and 10% of caesium are presented, for the temperature range from 2000 K to 20000 K, and for pressures equal to or 5, 10, and 15 time higher than the normal atmospheric pressure. The plasma was regarded as weakly non-ideal and in the state of local thermodynamical equilibrium with the assumption that the equilibrium is attained with the pressure kept constant. The plasma composition was determined on the ground of a set of Saha equations; the ionization energy lowerings were expressed with the aid of a modified plasma Debye radius r* D (rather than the standard r D ), as proposed previously