STUDIES OF INTERACTION OF PLASMA JETS GENERATED IN A PLASMA FOCUS FACILITY WITH AN AMBIENT PLASMA IN EXTERNAL MAGNETIC FIELD

Nikolaj V. Filippov1, Tatyana I. Filippova1, Anatolij N. Filippov1, Daniel Friart2, Mikhail A. Karakin1, Edil'girej Yu. Khautiev1, Vyacheslav I. Krauz1, Aleksandr N. Mokeev1, Viktor V. Myalton1, Sergej A. Nikulin1, Francoise Simonet2, Vasilij P. Tykshaev1, Jacques Vierne1 Valentin P. Vinogradov1

1RRC “Kurchatov Institute”, 1 Kurchatov Sq., Moscow, 123182, Russia,
2CEA/DIF BP2 91680 Bruyeres le Chatel, France


The aim of the present experiments was to reproduce and to study in laboratory quasi-perpendicular supercritical collisionless shocks similar to the Earth-Solar Wind shock, by using a plasma focus facility as the plasma source. The experiments were performed on the PF-3 facility (Filippov-type plasma focus) at a level of energy supply of about 1 MJ. Directed plasma jets are produced with axial velocities ~107 cm/s after compression of a plasma-current sheath in the initial stage of plasma focus formation. These jets then travel through an ambient plasma resulting in early gas ionization by X-ray radiation from the plasma focus, and at an angle of 90° to the 2500 G external magnetic field applied by a system based on rear-earth magnets. Our experimental conditions allowed us to reach a range MA ~5¸10.