Diffusion of fast rising strong magnetic fields into conductors

Abstract

The basic processes occurring in a conductor exploding in a current skinning mode are the propagation of a nonlinear magnetic diffusion wave in the conductor and the formation of low-temperature plasma at its surface. An experimental study of the phenomenon of nonlinear magnetic diffusion into conductors in magnetic fields of induction rising at a rate up to 3·109 T/s was carried out on the MIG generator capable of producing a peak current up to 2.5 MA within a rise time of 100 ns. It has been found experimentally that the average velocity of a nonlinear magnetic diffusion wave in an aluminum conductor placed in a strong magnetic field (up to 300 T) rising at a high rate (on average, 3·109 T/s) is (2.7÷3.3)·105 cm/s. This is comparable to the velocity of sound in aluminum under normal conditions and reasonably agrees with predictions of numerical simulations.