Fast magnetization of a low to high beta plasma beam

The authors have studied the magnetization of a high-β, hydrogen-plasma beam injected into a vacuum transverse magnetic field (β triple-bond plasma energy density/magnetic field energy density ≥1). Nominal parameters were: Ti ≤ eV, Te ≤ 5 eV, n < 3 x 1013 cm-3, vi ≤ 7 x 106 cm/s, tpulse < 70 μs, Bz ≤ 300 G. Plasma beam characteristics were measured for a wide beam, a/ρi ≤ 35, and a downstream distance, x ≤ 300 ρi, where a is the beam radius, x is the downstream distance, and ρi is the ion gyroradius