Abstract
Properties of a relativistic electron plasma confined in a magnetic mirror field are investigated by measuring the synchrontron radiation emitted in the 12.4–18.0 GHz frequency range. The measured spectra are recorded in a sufficiently short interval of time so that the confining magnetic field can be regarded as constant. The spectra are unfolded to obtain the electron energy distribution f (γ) during the decay of the confining magnetic field. The energy distribution obtained in this manner is compared with that calculated from a theoretical model that utilizes a self-consistent equilibrium distribution function f0e(x,p). This model takes into account the influence of strong spatial inhomogeneities and large Larmor orbits on the emission spectrum. The comparison between theory and experiment yields information about the evolution of such quantities as the radial electron density profile, ne0(r). An analysis of the data shows that n0e(r) evolves from a relatively thin E layer to a diffuse profile with density buildup on axis.
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