On the Role of Runaway Electrons in Stimulating the RF Breakdown and Plasma Formation in Torsatrons Uragan-3M, Uragan-2M

We consider a scenario of the initial stage of the RF breakdown of a working gas in torsatrons Uragan-3M and Uragan-2M and the roles of runaway electrons in this process. In our previous works, we studied only the acceleration factor of the breakdown process which occurs, when the intensity of the flow of runaway electrons increases due to the stimulation by an additional ultrahigh-frequency discharge at the front edge of a magnetic field pulse. This work attempts to describe the individual phenomena that accompany the initial stage of plasma formation in the confinement areas of torsatrons Uragan-3M and Uragan-2M in the presence of the flow of runaway electrons. (author)