Ladungsträgerverluste in einem schwachionisierten stationären Gleichstromplasma im toroidalen Magnetfeld

Abstract

For the particle losses of a weakly ionized plasma which result from the torus drift in a curved magnetic field, an expression is derived which is valid for certain parameters of the positive column of a gas discharge. To check this theory the “AMBIPOL” device was built. With this device it was possible to determine simultaneously the losses both in the toroidal and in the linear magnetic field by measuring the longitudinal electric field strength. As theory predicts, with growing magnetic field strength a weaker decrease of the longitudinal electric field was observed in the toroidal part of the discharge as compared to the linear part. The measured values of the relative electric field strength, however, exceed the theoretical limit, although the measurements of the electric field in the straight part and the measurements of the particle density and of the electron temperature in the curved part are consistent with theory. Moreover, contrary to the expectations, the onset of the KADOMTSEV instability occurs at lower critical magnetic fields in the toroidal part than in the straight part. Several possible explanations are discussed. In a later paper it will be attempted to make a choice among the three most probable ones.