Флуктуационно-диссипативная теорема и частотные моменты функций реакции плотной плазмы на электромагнитное поле

The fluctuation-dissipative theorem and frequency moments for quadratic functions of the reaction of a dense plasma in a constant magnetic field to an electromagnetic field are considered. The frequency moments of the corresponding correlation functions are studied. A model approach is proposed to calculate quadratic reaction functions that determine nonlinear phenomena caused by the quadratic interaction of electromagnetic waves in a dense charged medium (Coulomb systems, plasma) in a constant magnetic field. Keywords: dense plasma, nonlinear fluctuation-dissipative theorem, quadratic reaction functions, nonlinear phenomena.

The impact of inverted density gradients on density profiles measured by reflectometry: an experimental and numerical investigation at ASDEX Upgrade

The high-field side high-density (HFSHD) region at ASDEX Upgrade (AUG) is a well-documented phenomenon leading to a dense plasma in the inner divertor region that expands upwards to the midplane, resulting in poloidally asymmetric scrape-off layer density profiles. This work investigates, via simulation and experiment, whether the HFSHD at the midplane leads to hollow density profiles at the high-field side. Using the frequency-modulated continuous-wave O-mode reflectometer at AUG, experimental evidence has been found of reflection patterns compatible with a hollow density profile that are reproduced by 1D full-wave simulations. Furthermore, this work assesses the uncertainties in the density profile reconstruction as a consequence of the inverted gradient, showing that the presence of an HFSHD may lead to an overestimation of the density in the confined region.

High-Voltage Nanosecond Discharge as a Means of Fast Energy Switching

The formation of a nanosecond discharge with the use of a Hamamatsu streak-camera and with simultaneously wideband (10 GHz) measurement of voltage and displacement current caused by a streamer in one pulse has been studied. Nanosecond voltage pulses of various amplitudes (16, 20, and 27 kV) were applied across a point-to-plane gap (8.5 mm) filled with air at various pressures (13, 25, 50, 100, and 200 kPa). It was found that the voltage across the gap drops as soon as a streamer appears in the vicinity of the pointed electrode. At the same time, a pre-breakdown current begins to flow. The magnitude of the pre-breakdown current, as well as the voltage drop, is determined by the rate of formation of dense plasma and, accordingly, by the rate of redistribution of the electric field in the gap. The streamer velocity determines the rise time and amplitude of the current. The higher the streamer velocity, the shorter the rise time and the higher the amplitude of the pre-breakdown current. The propagation of a backward and third ionization waves was observed both with the streak camera and by measuring the displacement current. As they propagate, the discharge current increases to its amplitude value.

A pulse current generator for dense plasma focus

A pulse current generator applied in a type of high-yield intense pulsed neutron source, the Dense Plasma Focus (DPF), is designed and developed in this paper. There are three key components in this generator. Each group of capacitors and switches is integrative to meet the DPF's requirements of low circuit inductance. A coaxial multi-channel switch is developed to solve the problems of the switch inductance, the jitter and the electrode erosion. A kind of sectorial plate transmission line is adopted to transfer the high pulse current from the capacitors to the DPF. The following technical parameters of the generator were achieved on dummy load: output current amplitude of ∼560 kA when primary capacitors are charged with 22 kV.

Formation of dense plasma on the surface of a stainless steel conductor in superstrong magnetic fields

In experiments on the GIT-12 megaampere generator, the characteristics of conductors made of AISI 321 stainless steel were investigated in the microsecond regime of increasing superstrong magnetic fields. In this regime, a skin explosion of the conductor material takes place with the formation of a dense plasma and its expansion into the interelectrode gap of the vacuum transmission line. The values of the characteristic magnetic field B0 = 100 T are determined, above which there is the effect of nonlinear diffusion of the magnetic field into the conductor, and the critical magnetic field BCT ≅ 260 T, the excess of which leads to the formation of dense plasma on the surface of the massive conductor. A method is proposed for increasing the critical magnetic field on the surface of a conductor up to 1.5 times by choosing the optimal thickness of the conducting surface, and criteria for its determination are given. The effect of increasing the critical magnetic field on the surface of a two-layer sample and creating a pressure in the Mbar range until the moment of formation and expansion of explosion products of an inner conductor with high conductivity has been tested.

The initial stage of the plasma formation at skin explosion of cylindrical conductors

The formation of plasma on the surface of the electrically exploded conductor is a key issue in terms of the energy introduced into the metal substance. The purpose of this work was to study the dynamics of dense plasma formation on the metal surface at magnetic induction values of 200-600 T and its rising rates of (2-6) T/ns. The experiments were carried out on a terawatt MIG generator with current amplitude up to 2.5 MA and rise time of 100 ns. In experiments, skin electrical explosion of cylindrical conductors made of different materials and with different diameters was studied. The formation of plasma on the surface of the conductor was recorded using a four-frame optical camera with an exposure time of 3 ns for each frame. It was shown that when the current increases, “spots” appear on the surface of a cylindrical conductor. These spots are the centers of plasma formation. Later in the time, longitudional plasma channels were registered. In course of subsequent merging of the channels relatively uniform plasma formation occurs. The paper discusses the features of the dynamics of plasma formation as a function of the peak and the rising rate of the magnetic field induction.

The dynamics of the formation of initial stages of a transverse nanosecond discharge with an extended slot cathode in argon

The dynamics of the main characteristics of a limited nanosecond discharge in an extended slot cathode in argon at the values of the applied voltage to the electrodes close to the values of the voltages of the formation of a volume discharge are studied by numerical simulation. It is shown that this type of discharge can be used to create an extended dense plasma column with a high density of charged and excited particles. The analysis of the spatiotemporal dynamics of development of the electron density and the electron energy distribution function was carried out. It is shown that the high-energy electrons are formed at the front of the ionization wave due to the hollow-cathode effect.

Sympathetic cooling of positrons to cryogenic temperatures for antihydrogen production

The positron, the antiparticle of the electron, predicted by Dirac in 1931 and discovered by Anderson in 1933, plays a key role in many scientific and everyday endeavours. Notably, the positron is a constituent of antihydrogen, the only long-lived neutral antimatter bound state that can currently be synthesized at low energy, presenting a prominent system for testing fundamental symmetries with high precision. Here, we report on the use of laser cooled Be+ ions to sympathetically cool a large and dense plasma of positrons to directly measured temperatures below 7 K in a Penning trap for antihydrogen synthesis. This will likely herald a significant increase in the amount of antihydrogen available for experimentation, thus facilitating further improvements in studies of fundamental symmetries.