Studies of strong laboratory double layers and comparison with computer simulation

Strong electrostatic double layers were produced with a triple plasma configuration in the large plasma chamber (5 m long, 2·5 m diameter) at IPM in Freiburg, Federal Republic of Germany. Owing to relatively low densities (1011 1012m−3), Debye lengths of a few centimetres and layer thicknesses of th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of plasma physics 1981-08, Vol.26 (1), p.1-27
Main Authors: Baker, K. D., Singh, N., Block, L. P., Kist, R., Kampa, W., Thiemann, H.
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Strong electrostatic double layers were produced with a triple plasma configuration in the large plasma chamber (5 m long, 2·5 m diameter) at IPM in Freiburg, Federal Republic of Germany. Owing to relatively low densities (1011 1012m−3), Debye lengths of a few centimetres and layer thicknesses of the order of a metre were obtained. Layers both with and without magnetic fields were studied. Analysis of particle spectra prove that wave-particle interactions play a minor role in maintaining the strong electric field. The three-dimensional potential distribution is measured and is qualitatively discussed in terms of particle budget. For cases with a magnetic field it tends to agree with observations above the aurora. Comparisons are made with double-layer theory and computer experiments, and general agreement is found as far as the available results allow.
ISSN:0022-3778
1469-7807
DOI:10.1017/S0022377800010539