Investigation of Plasma Expansion in a Uniform Field and Shock Formation due to a Magnetic Barrier

Abstract

Behavior of plasma expanding along a uniform guide field and the thermalization processes of the kinetic energy of the plasma flow by shock wave due to a magnetic barrier are investigated with the parameter of initial plasma. Longitudinal expansion of a plasma in a uniform guide field is accompanied by a decrease in the density and the temperature. The decrease in the temperature is smaller than the density decrease. This seems to be in agreement with a model, which has been applied on Bille en Têté experiment. Shock wave propagates in the upstream direction accompanying the in creasing of the temperature and the density behind the shock front. This phenomenon is clearer in the case of lower density and higher temperature plasma.