| Abstract: | The Thompson-scattering method has been used to investigate the thermalization of plasma electrons in hydrogen, helium and argon plasmas. The thermalization measurements were made after the injection of the plasma into a semi-cusp magnetic field. The magnetic field was found to be effective in isolating the plasma while the thermalization measurements were made. The measurement of the temporal development of the plasma electron temperature yielded experimental results that were found to be in good agreement with the thermalization theory of Spitzer¹ and Sivukhin.² The results did, however, indicate a slower electron heating rate than is predicted by the theory. This effect is believed to have been caused by the loss of high energy electrons during the thermalization process. |
|---|