Instability threshold for a calutron (isotope separator) with only one isotope species

One limitation in the use of electromagnetic isotope separators is the phenomenon of beam blow-up. What is observed is that when the beam current exceeds a determined value, the separation process ceases. The basic principle is that shot noise from the ion source is amplified by a beam-plasma interaction to a value that disrupts the ion-collection process. This phenomenon was described for a two-beam system. However, the blow-up process was observed for a single beam by John Martin of ORNL. In this treatment, the authors demonstrate that a similar current threshold applies