A study of a parallel mode launch into a magnetic beach

A parallel mode launch in the electron cyclotron range of frequencies is performed on axis in the east end cell of the Phaedrus-B tandem mirror. Propagation of the energy launched toward a magnetic beach in a radially hollow density profile was studied experimentally. A strong refractive dispersal of the launched energy was observed and shown to be in good agreement with a WKB-type ray tracing model using a cold plasma Appleton-Hartree dispersion relation. Measurements of plasma density and electron temperature indicate that the use of this dispersion relation is well justified. These results are compared with additional ray tracing studies for radially hollow and nonhollow, high ( f_launch<f_p) and low (f _launch>f_p) density models. For the experimental conditions examined, a reversal of refractive behavior is shown to exist as the energy propagates from a low density (f_launch>f_p) region to a high density (f_launch<f_p) region