Plasma propagation along magnetic field lines after pellet injection

Plasma propagation along the magnetic field lines after pellet evaporation is simulated. The character of the plasma expansion depends strongly on the ambient plasma parameters. For medium plasma parameters, Te < 1 keV, ne=3 x 1019 m-3, the ablatant expansion, calculated with respect to the ambient temperature, is supersonic. Shock formation at the plasma front is observed. The results of the numerical simulation are in reasonable agreement with the self-similar solution obtained for the isothermal plasma. For reactor type parameters, the ablatant heating is a much slower process, and plasma expansion is subsonic. (author). 21 refs, 9 figs