On the mechanism of anomalous phenomena in current-carrying magnetized plasma

Abstract

The explanation of the mechanisms of anomalous resistance and diffusion of plasma, as well as the generation of fast particles, is given from a unified position on the basis of experimental results obtained in plasma in a magnetically isolated diode of an electron accelerator with a microsecond pulse duration. It is shown that oscillations of the potential and current in plasma with current occur by charge separation and the formation of electric domains with a strong field. Electric domains are generated by means of runaway electrons resulting from the redistribution of the current density and its channelling in the current-carrying plasma. An increase in plasma resistance occurs due to a decrease in the number of electrons in the current-conducting state, since some of the plasma electrons pass into layers of excess negative charge of electric domains. The speed of movement of electrons in the composition of the electric domain is much lower than the velocity of electrons in the conducting state. The nucleation of domains is accompanied by microwave emission. Quasi-neutrals in whole electrical domains are injected into the region of the anode wall. The destruction of domains leads to the appearance of plasma channels between the anode and cathode plasma. The transverse electromagnetic waves generated during the nucleation of domains capture charged particles and inject them in a direction that is perpendicular to the insulating longitudinal magnetic field. Plasma turbulence occurs due to charge separation and the generation of electrical domains that create channels between the plasma and the chamber wall, as well as generating fluxes of fast particles.