QSPA Kh-50 full-scale high-power asistationary plasma accelerator

Abstract

Abstract A full-scale high-power two-stage quasistationary plasma accelerator with active anode and cathode transformers (QSPA Kh-50) is described. Plasma streams with the velocity (4 to 4.2) × 107 cm/s, the energy flux density above 1 kJ/cm2 in the vicinity of the plasma stream axis and the total energy content in plasma of approximately 250 to 270 kJ were produced. Some integral functional relations obtained under QSPA Kh-50 operation (e.g., the current-voltage characteristic, Ud ≃ 1 2.8 d ; the discharge current dependence of the plasma velocity v ≃ 1 β d, 1.5 < β < 2.5; the time dependence of the velocity of certain plasma stream layers v(t)≃ 21/2 CA 0 = H0 /(2πρ)1/2; the effect of the screening magnetic fields in the cathode and anode transformers on the plasma stream velocity value, etc.) support, for the most part, the concept of a QSPA.