Ionization Instability
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Ionization Instability
An ionization instability is any one of a category of Plasma (physics), plasma Plasma stability, instabilities which is mediated by electron-impact ionization. In the most general sense, an ionization instability occurs from a feedback effect, when electrons produced by ionization go on to produce still more electrons through ionization in a self-reinforcing way. Ionization instabilities have been seen in such plasma physics apparatus as Glow discharge, glow discharges, Penning discharges, Magnetic nozzle, magnetic nozzles, and MHD Generator, MHD generators. Ionization instabilities may occur in magnetized or unmagnetized plasma. They occur mostly when the plasma is relatively cold and only partially ionized, so that there is a lot of neutral gas mixed in with the plasma. In a glow discharge A glow discharge is a plasma-containing apparatus in which the plasma is formed by a large voltage placed across a rarefied gas. Glow discharges are used for electric lighting and materials ...
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Plasma (physics)
Plasma () 1, where \nu_ is the electron gyrofrequency and \nu_ is the electron collision rate. It is often the case that the electrons are magnetized while the ions are not. Magnetized plasmas are ''anisotropic'', meaning that their properties in the direction parallel to the magnetic field are different from those perpendicular to it. While electric fields in plasmas are usually small due to the plasma high conductivity, the electric field associated with a plasma moving with velocity \mathbf in the magnetic field \mathbf is given by the usual Lorentz force, Lorentz formula \mathbf = -\mathbf\times\mathbf, and is not affected by Debye shielding. Mathematical descriptions To completely describe the state of a plasma, all of the particle locations and velocities that describe the electromagnetic field in the plasma region would need to be written down. However, it is generally not practical or necessary to keep track of all the particles in a plasma. Therefore, plasma physicist ...
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Plasma Stability
The stability of a plasma is an important consideration in the study of plasma physics. When a system containing a plasma is at equilibrium, it is possible for certain parts of the plasma to be disturbed by small perturbative forces acting on it. The stability of the system determines if the perturbations will grow, oscillate, or be damped out. In many cases, a plasma can be treated as a fluid and its stability analyzed with magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). MHD theory is the simplest representation of a plasma, so MHD stability is a necessity for stable devices to be used for nuclear fusion, specifically magnetic fusion energy. There are, however, other types of instabilities, such as velocity-space instabilities in magnetic mirrors and systems with beams. There are also rare cases of systems, e.g. the field-reversed configuration, predicted by MHD to be unstable, but which are observed to be stable, probably due to kinetic effects. Plasma instabilities Plasma instabilities can be ...
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Ionization
Ionization, or Ionisation is the process by which an atom or a molecule acquires a negative or positive charge by gaining or losing electrons, often in conjunction with other chemical changes. The resulting electrically charged atom or molecule is called an ion. Ionization can result from the loss of an electron after collisions with subatomic particles, collisions with other atoms, molecules and ions, or through the interaction with electromagnetic radiation. Heterolytic bond cleavage and heterolytic substitution reactions can result in the formation of ion pairs. Ionization can occur through radioactive decay by the internal conversion process, in which an excited nucleus transfers its energy to one of the inner-shell electrons causing it to be ejected. Uses Everyday examples of gas ionization are such as within a fluorescent lamp or other electrical discharge lamps. It is also used in radiation detectors such as the Geiger-Müller counter or the ionization chamber. The ionizati ...
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Glow Discharge
A glow discharge is a plasma formed by the passage of electric current through a gas. It is often created by applying a voltage between two electrodes in a glass tube containing a low-pressure gas. When the voltage exceeds a value called the striking voltage, the gas ionization becomes self-sustaining, and the tube glows with a colored light. The color depends on the gas used. Glow discharges are used as a source of light in devices such as neon lights, fluorescent lamps, and plasma-screen televisions. Analyzing the light produced with spectroscopy can reveal information about the atomic interactions in the gas, so glow discharges are used in plasma physics and analytical chemistry. They are also used in the surface treatment technique called sputtering. Electrical conduction in gas Conduction in a gas requires charge carriers, which can be either electrons or ions. Charge carriers come from ionizing some of the gas molecules. In terms of current flow, glow discharge falls ...
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Magnetic Nozzle
A magnetic nozzle is a convergent-divergent magnetic field that guides, expands and accelerates a plasma jet into vacuum for the purpose of space propulsion. The magnetic field in a magnetic nozzle plays a similar role to the convergent-divergent solid walls in a de Laval nozzle, wherein a hot neutral gas is expanded first subsonically and then supersonically to increase thrust. Like a de Laval nozzle, a magnetic nozzle converts the internal energy of the plasma into directed kinetic energy, but the operation is based on the interaction of the applied magnetic field with the electric charges in the plasma, rather than on pressure forces acting on solid walls.R.A. Gerwin, G.J. Marklin, A.G. Sgro, A.H. Glasser, ''Characterization of plasma flow through magnetic nozzles'', LANL report AL-TR-89-092 (1990) The main advantage of a magnetic nozzle over a solid one is that it can operate ''contactlessly,'' i.e. avoiding the material contact with the hot plasma, which would lead to system ine ...
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MHD Generator
A magnetohydrodynamic generator (MHD generator) is a magnetohydrodynamic converter that transforms thermal energy and kinetic energy directly into electricity. An MHD generator, like a conventional generator, relies on moving a conductor through a magnetic field to generate electric current. The MHD generator uses hot conductive ionized gas (a plasma) as the moving conductor. The mechanical dynamo, in contrast, uses the motion of mechanical devices to accomplish this. MHD generators are different from traditional electric generators in that they operate without moving parts (e.g. no turbine) to limit the upper temperature. They therefore have the highest known theoretical thermodynamic efficiency of any electrical generation method. MHD has been extensively developed as a topping cycle to increase the efficiency of electric generation, especially when burning coal or natural gas. The hot exhaust gas from an MHD generator can heat the boilers of a steam power plant, increasing ove ...
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Glow Discharge Regions
Glow or GLOW may refer to: In science and technology In computing and telecommunications * Glow (JavaScript library), an open-source JavaScript library created by the BBC * Glow (Scottish Schools National Intranet), a telecommunications project in Scotland In physics * Incandescence, the emission of electromagnetic radiation from a hot object * Luminescence, any form of light emission ''not'' resulting from heat * List of light sources Other uses in science and technology * Glow or Bloom (shader effect), computer graphics effect * GLOW (gross lift-off weight), see maximum takeoff weight In arts and entertainment In film and television * ''The Glow'' (film), a 2002 TV film starring Portia de Rossi * ''Glow'' (2000 film), a film starring Frankie Ingrassia * ''Glow'' (2011 film), a film starring Tony Lo Bianco * ''The Glow'' (TV series), a 2000s television series starring Dean Cain * GLOW TV, a syndicated televised version of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling events from 19 ...
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Electric Propulsion
Spacecraft electric propulsion (or just electric propulsion) is a type of spacecraft propulsion technique that uses electrostatic or electromagnetic fields to accelerate mass to high speed and thus generate thrust to modify the velocity of a spacecraft in orbit. The propulsion system is controlled by power electronics. Electric thrusters typically use much less propellant than chemical rockets because they have a higher exhaust speed (operate at a higher specific impulse) than chemical rockets.Choueiri, Edgar Y. (2009New dawn of electric rocket''Scientific American'' 300, 58–65 Due to limited electric power the thrust is much weaker compared to chemical rockets, but electric propulsion can provide thrust for a longer time. Electric propulsion was first successfully demonstrated by NASA and is now a mature and widely used technology on spacecraft. American and Russian satellites have used electric propulsion for decades. , over 500 spacecraft operated throughout the Solar S ...
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Electrothermal Instability
__NOTOC__ The electrothermal instability (also known as ionization instability, non-equilibrium instability or Velikhov instability in the literature) is a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instability appearing in magnetized non-thermal plasmas used in MHD converters. It was first theoretically discovered in 1962 and experimentally measured into a MHD generator in 1963 by Evgeny Velikhov. Physical explanation and characteristics This instability is a turbulence of the electron gas in a non-equilibrium plasma (i.e. where the electron temperature Te is greatly higher than the overall gas temperature Tg). It arises when a magnetic field powerful enough is applied in such a plasma, reaching a critical Hall parameter βcr. Locally, the number of electrons and their temperature fluctuate (electron density and thermal velocity) as the electric current and the electric field. The Velikhov instability is a kind of ionization wave system, almost frozen in the two temperature gas. T ...
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Evgeny Velikhov
Evgeny Pavlovich Velikhov (born on February 2, 1935; in Russian: ''Евгений Павлович Велихов'') is a physicist and scientific leader in the Russia, Russian Federation. His scientific interests include Plasma (physics), plasma physics, lasers, Fusion power, controlled nuclear fusion, power engineering, and magnetohydrodynamics (Pulsed power, high-power pulsed Magnetohydrodynamic generator, MHD generators). He is the author of over 1500 Scientific literature, scientific publications and a number of inventions and discoveries. He currently holds the post of president of the Kurchatov Institute (named after Igor Kurchatov) and first Secretary (head) of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation. He is a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences and has been the vice-president of the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union. Career Evgeny Velikhov graduated from the Department of Physics at Moscow State University, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU) in ...
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Plasma Instabilities
The stability of a plasma is an important consideration in the study of plasma physics. When a system containing a plasma is at equilibrium, it is possible for certain parts of the plasma to be disturbed by small perturbative forces acting on it. The stability of the system determines if the perturbations will grow, oscillate, or be damped out. In many cases, a plasma can be treated as a fluid and its stability analyzed with magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). MHD theory is the simplest representation of a plasma, so MHD stability is a necessity for stable devices to be used for nuclear fusion, specifically magnetic fusion energy. There are, however, other types of instabilities, such as velocity-space instabilities in magnetic mirrors and systems with beams. There are also rare cases of systems, e.g. the field-reversed configuration, predicted by MHD to be unstable, but which are observed to be stable, probably due to kinetic effects. Plasma instabilities Plasma instabilities ca ...
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