ABSTRACT
This chapter describes a profound relation between beam current disruption and acceleration (heating) of plasma ions. It explains interesting and very impressive experiments on the acceleration of ions in electron beams with virtual cathode. In choosing the particular regime of heating ions in the plasma beam special attention was paid to the case in which the flux of heated ions ejected from the beam was most intense. Experiments with a hydrogen plasma beam, conducted in a uniform magnetic field, gave results which are quite similar to those obtained with the lithium beam. It is found to be not only feasible but also convenient to produce pure high-temperature plasma using an unstable plasma beam sent along the axis of a trap with magnetic mirrors. An experimental investigation of the properties of such plasmas in traps yielded results which are definitely of interest in connection with the problem of controlled fusion.
