Review of armature research

This paper presents a review of plasma and hybrid armature research. The role of secondary arcs in limiting the velocity in hypervelocity experiments is discussed. Possible mechanisms for secondary arc formation are outlined and techniques for controlling the behavior of secondaries, such as the use of confined plasmas, are described. The authors review the physical picture of the hybrid armature that has evolved from small-bore, hybrid-armature tests. Finally, recommendations are presented for future work