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Accession Number:
ADA210586
Title:
An Experimental Study of Microwave Transmission through a Decaying Plasma
Descriptive Note:
Final rept. Jan 1986-Feb 1988
Corporate Author:
AIR FORCE WEAPONS LAB KIRTLAND AFB NM
Report Date:
1989-05-01
Pagination or Media Count:
131.0
Abstract:
The physics of pulsed microwave, or radio frequency rf, transmission through a decaying plasma column, is studied experimentally. A plasma column is formed in Argon or Nitrogen gases, to represent the neutral gas breakdown due to an rf pulse. Initially the electron frequency is greater than the microwave frequency. An rf pulse capable of plasma reionization is applied across the plasma column at varying times in the plasmas decay phase the plasma afterglow. We have studied the variation of the transmitted rf pulse characteristics, pulse width and amplitude, as a function of the time into the afterglow. The ionization frequency of argon by a microwave pulse is found experimentally to be within 20 of the theoretical value. The comparison of ionization frequency is useful in establishing the applicability of earlier cavity measurements to present day open geometry systems used in transmission propagation experiments.
Distribution Statement:
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
