The energy balance in the plasma of a coaxial plasma opening switch

The two-dimensional energy flow in the plasma of a coaxial plasma opening switch (POS), during the Hall-induced shock penetration of a magnetic field, is analyzed. The electron collisionality is assumed to be high enough that the dissipated magnetic-field energy becomes electron thermal energy. It is shown that that part of the magnetic-field energy (a third) that is dissipated at the cathode at the generator side of the plasma, becomes an electron kinetic energy, that is convected along the current channel. It is also shown that in the magnetized plasma magnetic-field energy flows backwards towards the generator. The third new result is that inside the shock front, electron thermal energy is converted into magnetic-field energy, contrary to the usual situation in shock waves in which field energy is converted into particle thermal energy. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics.