We investigate the possibility of plasma confinement by a travelling high-frequency H wave. The experiment was performed in a toroidal pulse device. The maximal value of the high-frequency magnetic field without a plasma is 230 Oe, the frequency is 1 MHz, the phase velocity of wave propagation is 5.6 × 107 cm/sec. The high-frequency field was used for both confinement and excitation of plasma.From the distribution of the concentration of charged particles (Te = 60 000° K) and the Hz component of the high-frequency field along the chamber cross section we define the gradients of plasma pressure and magnetic pressure. Since the gradients are comparable in order of magnitude, concentration distribution differed perceptively from the corresponding distribution for a low level of high-frequency power when magnetic pressure is much smaller than plasma pressure.We have studied the conditions under which plasma confinement by the field of a travelling high-frequency wave is possible, taking into account plasma heating. It is shown that the high-frequency magnetic field that is necessary for plasma confinement increases about proportionally to Te, for which also charged-particle concentration must increase proportionally to Te3/4 For example, for Te = 105 °K there must be n = l016cm−3 and Hz = 3×103 Oe (for hydrogen plasma).Consequently, it is possible to satisfy the conditions for plasma confinement only at sufficiently large n and Hz.
MHD theory of stationary interaction between a high-frequency field and a plasma in non-homogeneous fields