Contraction of Superhigh Pressure Discharge Channel at Achievement of the Pease-Braginskii Critical Current

Abstract

The results of research of the discharge channel contraction depending on current amplitudes (0.5 -1.5 MA), values of the initial pressure (5 -30 MPa) and sort of gas (hydrogen, helium) are presented. The observed reduction of the brightness temperature of the channel with increasing of input energy is conditioned by heating of surrounding gas. The contraction of the channel, registered near current maximum, is associated with achievement of the Pease-Braginskii critical current. As it was shown earlier [1], at megaampere current amplitudes the discharge burns in metal vapour of eroded electrodes. The theoretical value of the Pease-Braginskii critical current in this case is -100 kA. Registered critical current increase up to -1 MA is associated with absorption of the channel radiation in consequence of high density of surrounding gas. A.

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“…The parameters of the pulsed discharge burning in a superdense gas medium (hydrogen or helium) in the discharge chamber of launchers have been investigated [9], [10]. It has been established that, at an electric-current amplitude of 0.5-1.5 MA and an initial pressure of 5-30 MPa, the discharge burns in the metal vapor of eroded electrodes and that the plasma temperature in the compression region can reach several hundred electron-volts, which was confirmed by detection of soft X-ray radiation from the discharge channel.…”