IBEX magnetic coupling experiments

The magnetic coupling of one pulse to another is a key issue for some modes of high-current beam propagation. Experiments are in progress on Sandia's IBEX accelerator to address issues relevant to magnetic coupling. The IBEX experiments differ from previous experiments in that the B/sub theta/ field acting on the second pulse is the result of residual plasma current from the first pulse rather than current applied by an external means. This new feature makes the propagation sensitive to beam and plasma current profiles that are key to the physics of the magnetic coupling problem. These experiments do not attempt to study the air chemistry issues, as this would require much higher current densities than are available from IBEX. We are using the IBEX accelerator with a mismatched magnetized diode to produce two high-current pulses separated by approx.130 nsec. A pulse pair has been propagated over a 1.5-m path in low pressure air. Extraction of two pulses, each having different parameters, complicates the experiment but also provides new insight into the magnetic coupling proplem. 7 figs