| Abstract: | Conclusions The experimental results reported here indicate that a cyclotron instability can and does develop in Ogra. Furthermore, at the present time, as far as we know there is no other possible explanation for the anomalous magnitude and the dependence of electric field (at the cyclotron frequency) on plasma density observed experimentally. The presence of density waves with different phase velocities can cause electron heating and electron loss. In this regard, the fact that the electrons can interact with the electric waves seems to be indicated by experiments with an electron beam carried out by Yu. A. Kucheryaev and D. A. Panov 9]; these experiments indicate that an electron beam passing through a plasma along the magnetic field loses or gains energy by virtue of interaction with waves at the cyclotron frequencies corresponding to H
2
+
and H
1
+
ions.On the one hand, the effect of the cyclotron instability can cause ions to form bunches as a result of nonlinear effects, and these can lead to a more effective interaction, with the dissipation and exchange of energy. On the other hand, the existence of electric fields perpendicular to the magnetic field can cause ion drift across the magnetic field when the phase velocity of these waves is approximately equal to the ion velocity. As is evident from the table, this situation can arise in certain modes of operation. For a more detailed explanation of the effect of the cyclotron instability on ion loss and electron loss, it will be necessary to carry out further investigations. The author wishes to take this opportunity to thank I. N. Golovin for his continued interest in this work and for a number of valuable comments offered in discussions of the experimental results. E. P. Velikhov for help in carrying out the calculations, and A. N. Karkhov and V. F. Nefedov for help in carrying out the measurements with Ogra. Fruitful discussions of the experiments and the results of the calculations with colleagues working with Ogra were very helpful in determining the physical pattern of these effects.Translated from Atomnaya Énergiya, Vol. 14, No. 1, pp. 72–81, January, 1963 |
