EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF ION-ION HYBRID RESONANCE

An experiment is described in which the ion-ion hybrid resonance is observed and studied. The theory of a cool, partially ionized plasma in a magnetic field is given, and dispersion characteristics of a wave launched in a bounded two-ion species plasma near the resonance are investigated. Computer results showing the behavior of the attenuation coefficient of the launched wave as a function of density, magnetic field, resistivity, density ratio of the ions, and frequency are given. The apparatus for generating a highly ionized pulsed plasma and for launching and detecting a wave in the plasma is described. The attenuation coefficient has been measured for a variety of plasma conditions; this data has been fitted to the predicted theory with generally good agreement using values of plasma density and temperature which are characteristic of the type of discharge used.