Determination of the physical values of a plasma puff by analysis of the diamagnetic signals. 1. part: expansion model for the puff. 2. part: comparison of experimental results with the expansion model for the plasma puff

The flow of a dense plasma puff, along the axis of a uniform magnetic field is examined, assuming the following hypotheses: the axial distribution of the line density can be described at any time by a gaussian function whose characteristic parameter is independent of the distance from the axis of the system; the β ratio is less than 0,6. An approximate solution of the magnetohydrodynamics equations is obtained. The evolution of the characteristic properties of the plasma (local velocity, temperature and density) can be calculated from a set of equations involving 5 plasma parameters. A method leading to the determination of these parameters is described. It uses 5 informations picked up from the diamagnetic signals induced by the plasma into a set of 4 compensated magnetic loops. (authors)