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Plasma Accelerator Development for Dynamic Formation of Plasma Liners: A Status ReportAn experimental plasma accelerator for magnetic target fusion (MTF) applications under development at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center is described. The accelerator is a pulsed plasma thruster and has been tested experimentally and plasma jet velocities of approximately 50 km/sec have been obtained. The plasma jet structure has been photographed with 10 ns exposure times to reveal a stable and repeatable plasma structure. Data for velocity profile information has been obtained using light pipes embedded in the gun walls to record the plasma transit at various barrel locations. Preliminary spatially resolved spectral data and magnetic field probe data are also presented. A high speed triggering system has been developed and tested as a means of reducing the gun "jitter". This jitter is being characterized and future work for second generation "ultra-low jitter" gun development is being identified.
Document ID
20020023736
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Thio, Y. C. Francis (NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL United States)
Eskridge, Richard (NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL United States)
Martin, Adam (NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL United States)
Smith, James (NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL United States)
Lee, Michael (NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL United States)
Rodgers, Stephen L.
Date Acquired
August 20, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2001
Subject Category
Plasma Physics
Meeting Information
2nd International MTF Workshop(Reno, NV)
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.