Plasma and Fusion Research

Volume 11, 3406012 (2016)

Regular Articles

The Measurement of Plasma Structure in a Magnetic Thrust Chamber
Ryosuke KAWASHIMA, Taichi MORITA1), Naoji YAMAMOTO1), Naoya SAITO, Shinsuke FUJIOKA2), Hiroaki NISHIMURA2), Hiraku MATSUKUMA2), Atsushi SUNAHARA3), Yoshitaka MORI4), Tomoyuki JOHZAKI5) and Hideki NAKASHIMA1)
Department of Advanced Energy Engineering Science, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-Koen, Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580, Japan
1)Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-Koen, Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580, Japan
2)Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
3)Institute for Laser Technology, 1-8-4 Utsubo-honmachi, Nishi-ku, Osaka 550-0004, Japan
4)The Graduate School for the Creation of New Photonics Industries, Hamamatsu 431-1202, Japan
5)Faculty of Engineering, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8527, Japan
(Received 31 July 2015 / Accepted 3 November 2015 / Published 24 February 2016)

Abstract

Magnetic thrust chamber is a propulsion system controlling plasma by a magnetic field and is expected as a propulsion system of laser fusion rocket. This rocket obtains thrust due to the interaction between plasma and magnetic field in the system. We examine the plasma structure in a magnetic thrust chamber by observing the light emission from the plasma with several magnetic field strength. The experiments imply that anisotropic plasma expansion is induced by the applied magnetic field and the velocity is decreased at the magnetic field above 0.67 T.

Keywords

laser fusion rocket, magnetic thrust chamber, plasma, magnetic field, plasma emission

DOI: 10.1585/pfr.11.3406012

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