Current driven instabilities of an electromagnetically accelerated plasma

Abstract

Quantitative measurements of the plasma instability that strongly affects the efficiency and lifetime of electromagnetic plasma accelerators were obtained. Experimental results are presented for the dispersion relations (wave phase velocities), spatial growth rates, and stability boundaries of accelerators. The measured critical wave parameters are found to agree well with theoretical predictions. A kinetic theoretical model was used to study current driven instabilities which are intrinsic to the high-current-carrying magnetized plasma of a magnetoplasmadynamic accelerator. Under certain conditions, marginally stable waves travelling almost perpendicular to the magnetic field are found which travel at a velocity equal to that of the electron current.