Runaway Electron Measurements in the EAST Tokamak

An experimental study of runaway electrons in the EAST tokamak has been performed by a recently developed multi‐channel hard x‐ray diagnostics based on NaI(TL) scintillator detectors. It is found that in the current quench phase, the inductive loop voltage plays an important role in the generation of runaway electrons. And the avalanche mechanism was the main mechanism for runaway electrons after the disruptions. The distribution and transportation of runaway electrons were also investigated by multi‐channel hard x‐ray diagnostics. It is also found that the intensity of runaway electrons emission in the core plasma was much higher than those in the downside of the cross‐section, while the emission intensity of runaway electrons in the core plasma was almost the same. Calculated shrinking coefficient of runaway electrons emission after the plasma disruption was about 26 m/s according to the experimental data (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Terrestrial gamma-ray flashes as powerful particle accelerators

Strong electric discharges associated with thunderstorms can produce terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs), i.e., intense bursts of x?rays and γ?rays lasting a few milliseconds or less. We present in this Letter new TGF timing and spectral data based on the observations of the Italian Space Agency AGILE satellite. We determine that the TGF emission above 10 MeV has a significant power-law spectral component reaching energies up to 100 MeV. These results challenge TGF theoretical models based on runaway electron acceleration. The TGF discharge electric field accelerates particles over the large distances for which maximal voltages of hundreds of megavolts can be established. The combination of huge potentials and large electric fields in TGFs can efficiently accelerate particles in large numbers, and we reconsider here the photon spectrum and the neutron production by photonuclear reactions in the atmosphere.     

Spectra of electrons and X-ray photons in a diffusive nanosecond discharge in air under atmospheric pressure

The spectra of electrons and X-ray photons generated in nanosecond discharges in air under atmospheric pressure are investigated theoretically and experimentally. Data for the discharge formation dynamics in a nonuniform electric field are gathered. It is confirmed that voltage pulses with an amplitude of more than 100 kV and a rise time of 1 ns or less causing breakdown of an electrode gap with a small-radius cathode generate runaway electrons, which can be divided into three groups in energy (their energy varies from several kiloelectronvolts to several hundreds of kiloelectronvolts). It is also borne out that the formation of the space charge is due to electrons appearing in the gap at the cathode and a major contribution to the electron beam behind the foil comes from electrons of the second group, the maximal energy of which roughly corresponds to the voltage across the gap during electron beam generation. X-ray radiation from the gas-filled diode results from beam electron slowdown both in the anode and in the gap. It is shown that the amount of group-3 electrons with an energy above the energy gained by runaway electrons (in the absence of losses) at a maximal voltage across the gap is much smaller than the amount of group-2 electrons.     

Generation of hard x rays by femtosecond laser pulse interaction with solid targets in atmosphere

X ray radiation as high as 50 keV, including K(α) of Ba and Mo, have been observed from a solid target during the interaction of low energy ~0.65 mJ, 1 kHz 40 femtosecond laser pulses focused in air at atmospheric pressure. Energetic electrons generating such x rays are possibly produced when the field strength in laser pulse wake exceeds the runaway threshold in air. Two dimensional particle-in-cell simulations that include optical field ionization of air and elastic collisions support this mechanism.     

Investigating the separatrices for the runaway threshold of cosmic ray electrons in a thunderstorm atmosphere

Using a modified GEANT4 code, we calculated the probabilities for cosmic ray electrons to become runaway particles in an electric field with a strength ranging from 0 to 5 kV/cm. About 10 million trajectories were calculated for particles with initial energies of 0.1 to 100 MeV. Instead of a single separatrix determining the region of runaway electrons, a set of curves connecting points with equal probabilities of a runaway regime (from 0 to 100%) was obtained. It was shown that not only is the threshold for a runaway regime probabilistic in character, but the critical field as well. This must be considered when calculating variations in the intensity of cosmic rays during thunderstorms.     

Short soft x‐ray sources

In this work we report on the characterization of pulsed soft x‐rays emitted from laser‐produced plasma. The plasma was generated by a pulsed KrF excimer laser focused on pure Si, Cu and Ta targets by 40, 80 and 120 mJ laser energies. The utilized detector was a very sensitive Faraday cup which opportunely biased was able to record time‐resolved signals of x‐rays and to estimate their energy. The found x‐rays energy values were compared with the ion temperature of the plasma obtained by fitting the time‐resolved ion current signals with a shifted Maxwell‐Boltzmann velocity distribution. The results showed that the laser‐produced Ta plasma induced bunches of x‐rays having in average the highest energy values and it was also characterized by ion temperature higher than the ones of the laser‐produced Si and Cu plasmas. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Suppression of runaway electrons by resonant magnetic perturbations in TEXTOR disruptions

The generation of runaway electrons in the international fusion experiment ITER disruptions can lead to severe damage at plasma facing components. Massive gas injection might inhibit the generation process, but the amount of gas needed can affect, e.g., vacuum systems. Alternatively, magnetic perturbations can suppress runaway generation by increasing the loss rate. In TEXTOR disruptions runaway losses were enhanced by the application of resonant magnetic perturbations with toroidal mode number n=1 and n=2. The disruptions are initiated by fast injection of about 3x10{21} argon atoms, which leads to a reliable generation of runaway electrons. At sufficiently high perturbation levels a reduction of the runaway current, a shortening of the current plateau, and the suppression of high energetic runaways are observed. These findings indicate the suppression of the runaway avalanche during disruptions.     

近地雷暴电场与羊八井地面宇宙线关联的模拟研究

雷暴期间地面宇宙线强度变化的研究对理解大气电场加速宇宙线次级带电粒子的物理机理具有重要意义. 分析西藏羊八井ARGO实验中2012年大气电场的数据后发现, 近地雷暴电场的强度可达1000 V/cm甚至更高. 用Monte Carlo方法模拟研究了近地雷暴电场与羊八井地面宇宙线强度的关联. 当雷暴电场强度(取1500 V/cm)大于逃逸电场时, 宇宙线次级粒子中正、负电子的数目呈指数增长, 在大气深度约520 g/cm²处达到极大值, 与Gurevich等提出的相对论电子逃逸雪崩机理和Dwyer理论相符. 当雷暴电场强度小于逃逸电场时, 在所有负电场范围和大于600 V/cm的正电场范围, 总电子数目随电场强度的增大而增加; 当正电场小于400 V/cm时, 总电子数目均出现一定幅度的下降; 在电场为400–600 V/cm范围内, 总电子数目的变化与原初粒子的能量有关, 原初能量小于80 GeV时, 其次级粒子中总电子数目增加, 原初能量在80–120 GeV 范围内时, 总电子数目变化不明显, 原初能量大于120 GeV时, 总电子数目出现下降, 下降幅度约4%. 模拟结果可对羊八井ARGO实验的观测结果给予合理的解释.     

Observation of synchrotron radiation from electrons accelerated in a petawatt-laser-generated plasma cavity

The dynamics of plasma electrons in the focus of a petawatt laser beam are studied via measurements of their x-ray synchrotron radiation. With increasing laser intensity, a forward directed beam of x rays extending to 50 keV is observed. The measured x rays are well described in the synchrotron asymptotic limit of electrons oscillating in a plasma channel. The critical energy of the measured synchrotron spectrum is found to scale as the Maxwellian temperature of the simultaneously measured electron spectra. At low laser intensity transverse oscillations are negligible as the electrons are predominantly accelerated axially by the laser generated wakefield. At high laser intensity, electrons are directly accelerated by the laser and enter a highly radiative regime with up to 5% of their energy converted into x rays.     

Positive ion speed at the plasma–sheath boundary of a negative ion-emitting electrode

One-dimensional fluid model for a planar sheath in front of a negative ion-emitting electrode surface immersed in a collision-less, non-magnetized, electronegative plasma is presented. It was found that the positive ion speed at the plasma–sheath boundary (PSB) increases linearly with negative ion emission from the electrode but attains a saturation value as soon as a virtual cathode is formed near the electrode surface. The effect of negative ion emission on the pre-sheath region shows that the potential drop increases across the pre-sheath in accordance with the rise in positive ion speed at the PSB. The sheath width obtained using the present model shows a similar trend as the Child-Langmuir law, but its magnitude is found to be consistently higher compared with a non-emitting electrode. A plausible explanation has been given to explain these effects.     

A confident source of hard X‐rays: radiation from a tokamak applicable for runaway electrons diagnosis

In a tokamak with a toroidal electric field, electrons that exceed the critical velocity are freely accelerated and can reach very high energies. These so‐called `runaway electrons' can cause severe damage to the vacuum vessel and are a dangerous source of hard X‐rays. Here the effect of toroidal electric and magnetic field changes on the characteristics of runaway electrons is reported. A possible technique for runaways diagnosis is the detection of hard X‐ray radiation; for this purpose, a scintillator (NaI) was used. Because of the high loop voltage at the beginning of a plasma, this investigation was carried out on toroidal electric field changes in the first 5 ms interval from the beginning of the plasma. In addition, the toroidal magnetic field was monitored for the whole discharge time. The results indicate that with increasing toroidal electric field the mean energy of runaway electrons rises, and also an increase in the toroidal magnetic field can result in a decrease in intensity of magnetohydrodynamic oscillations which means that for both conditions more of these high‐energy electrons will be generated.     

Townsend coefficient,escape curve,and efficiency of runaway-electron beam formation in argon

The ionization and drift characteristics of electrons in argon are simulated by the method of multi-particle dynamics. It is shown that, in argon (as well as in other gases studied earlier), the Townsend regime of ionization sets in even in strong fields if the electrode distance is much larger than the reciprocal Townsend coefficient. The dependences of the basic ionization and drift characteristics on the reduced field intensity are obtained, and an escape curve is constructed separating the region of effective electron multiplication from the region where the electrons leave the discharge gap having no time to multiply. The formation efficiency of a runaway-electron beam is calculated. It is shown that the dependence of the electrode voltage generating a given fraction of runaway electrons on the product of the pressure by the electrode distance has a form that qualitatively agrees with the runaway curve. When the efficiency is not too high (≤20%), the runaway curves virtually coincide with isoefficiency curves.     

Scattering of magnetic mirror trapped fast electrons by a shear Alfvén wave

Laboratory observations of enhanced loss of fast electrons trapped in a magnetic mirror geometry irradiated by shear Alfvén waves (SAW) are reported. A population of runaway electrons generated by second harmonic electron-cyclotron-resonance heating, as evidenced by the production of hard x rays with energy up to 3?MeV, is subjected to SAW launched with a rotating magnetic field antenna. It is observed that the SAW dramatically affect the trapped fast electrons and scatter them out of the magnetic mirror despite any obvious resonance. The results could have implications on the techniques of artificial reduction of energetic electrons in the inner radiation belt.     

低杂波电流驱动中的雪崩逃逸增强及鱼骨不稳定性

等离子体中存在的一定数量的高能逃逸电子（E≥1MeV)通过大角度库仑散射从等离子体中碰撞出二次电子，二次电子被低杂波有效地加速成为逃逸电子，这些逃逸电子又被正反馈回等离子体，形成雪崩现象。在此过程中，一部分获得较大横向动量的二次电子或由低杂波驱动的高能电子可能被香蕉轨道捕获，这些被捕获在磁岛中的电子与某种模式的磁场扰动共振时，就出现鱼骨不稳定现象。     

负离子对等离子体鞘层特性影响的数值研究

构造强电负性等离子体中平板电极处鞘层形成的模型,使用流体动力学方程组研究等离子体鞘层.得到空间电势、空间静电荷分布和鞘层宽度作为距离函数的数值结果.结果表明,强电负性鞘层中,在等离子体区和鞘层区之间几乎没有过渡的预鞘区,在靠近极板附近鞘层里的电子、负离子和正离子的分布形成一个纯正离子鞘区.在靠近鞘边附近,空间静电荷密度分布有一个很尖的峰.发现同电正性情形相比,强电负性鞘层的宽度要窄很多,空间电势下降得快得多.     

Study of polarized argon lines in a plasma focus device

Polarization is important for analyzing line emission in the infrared, visible, and ultraviolet [see A. N. Zaidel and E. Ya. Shreider, Vacuum Spectroscopy and Its Application [in Russian], Nauka, Moscow, 1976] and also for x rays. Experimental results are presented for x rays from heliumlike argon in a plasma focus discharge, and ways in which polarized x rays might be created by directional electrons or electric/ magnetic fields are discussed. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 69, No. 12, 870–873 (25 June 1999) Published in English in the original Russian journal. Edited by Steve Torstveit.     

同轴枪正、负脉冲放电等离子体特性的对比

同轴枪脉冲放电产生的等离子体具有高速度、高密度的特点,在核聚变、空间推进、天体物理领域具有很高的应用价值.本文针对不同放电方式对等离子体特性的影响进行了理论实验研究,通过调换脉冲电源整流二极管的方向改变充电电流方向实现正、负脉冲放电,采用光学、电学、磁探针等诊断手段,研究了正、负脉冲放电产生的等离子体性能;通过高速相机观察到正脉冲等离子体的分团现象,使用了图像处理技术,量化对比了等离子体发光强度.结果表明在相同工作气压和放电电压下,负脉冲等离子体拥有更高的密度,流速稍小但性能趋稳;而正脉冲等离子体具有更高的射流速度,也易产生明显的分团现象,所得实验结果与理论分析相一致.     

X光激光在等离子体中的传播

由于等离子体柱中有垂直于轴向的电子密度梯度,致使X光激光在等离子体柱内传播时发生折射。折射效应限制了增益区的长度,采用“双靶对接”的实验方法,能有效地抑制折射的影响。本文从理论上阐述了折射效应对激光增益的影响相当于在小讯号增益系数上加了一个负项;并给出X光激光出靶端的强度角分布及偏离轴向的折射角;为“双靶对接”实验提供靶面的夹角值。理论计算结果与实验结果符合得很好。     

HT-7托卡马克等离子体密度调制实验中的逃逸电子行为

在HT-7托卡马克的等离子体密度调制实验中,通过对欧姆和低杂波电流驱动两种放电条件下等离子体逃逸电子辐射行为的研究,验证了非准稳态等离子体中逃逸电子的产生机制,研究了欧姆和低杂波电流驱动两种放电条件下的大量充气对等离子体整体约束性能的影响。研究结果发现:放电过程中额外的大量工作气体的充入使等离子体偏离了准稳态,逃逸电子初级产生机制和次级产生机制准稳态的假设条件被打破,这时候需要利用非准稳态条件下修正后的逃逸电子归一化阈值速度来解释逃逸电子的辐射行为; 同时也发现放电过程中额外的大量工作气体的充入将使等离子体的整体约束性能变差。     

AC operation and runaway electron behaviour in HT-7 tokamak

Operation of HT-7 tokamak in a multicycle alternating square wave plasma current regime is reported. A set of AC operation experiments, including LHW heating to enhance plasma ionization during the current transition and current sustainment, is described. The behaviour of runaway electrons is analysed by four HXR detectors tangentially viewing the plasma in the equatorial plane, within energy ranges 0.3--1.2~MeV and 0.3--7~MeV, separately. High energy runaway electrons (\sim MeV) are found to circulate predominantly in the opposite direction to the plasma current, while the number of low energy runaway electrons (\sim tens to hundreds of keV) circulating along the plasma current is comparable to that in the direction opposite to the plasma current. AC operation with lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) is observed to have an additional benefit of suppressing the runaway electrons if the drop of the loop voltage is large enough.