Abstract

Spectroscopic studies of the line profiles of radiating ions in a magnetically confined, high-current, steady-state vacuum carbon arc have revealed ion temperatures up to 5,000,000°K in a 4.9-m long arc. The ion temperature is a quadratic function of the distance from the anode in a given arc, but for arcs of different lengths the highest arc temperature is roughly proportional to the arc length. The spectrum line profiles are essentially Gaussian (Doppler shape) for observations transverse to the arc column but in very long arcs are non-Gaussian, and sharper, for axial views. Helium, nitrogen, or argon fed to the arc through the cathode result in pronounced heating of the trapped ions, their transverse temperature being dependent on the charge state of the ion, thus suggesting strong radial electric field heating of the ions.

© 1963 Optical Society of America

Preliminary Spectroscopic Results on a Very Long, High-Current, Magnetically Confined, Vacuum Carbon Arc

J. R. McNally, M. R. Skidmore, J. E. Francis, P. M. Jenkins, and D. A. Griffin
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 53(4) 495-496 (1963)

On the Possibility of Excitation Heating of Ions to High Temperature

J. Rand McNally, M. R. Skidmore, P. M. Jenkins, and J. E. Francis
Appl. Opt. 5(2) 187-194 (1966)

Jet-Controlled Arc: I, Excitation of Second Spectra

Kenneth H. Thygesen and Frank L. Moore
Appl. Opt. 2(6) 635-637 (1963)

Measurement of Absolute Radiation Intensities in the Vacuum-Ultraviolet Region

Einar Hinnov and Fritz W. Hofmann
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 53(11) 1259-1265 (1963)

A Vacuum Ultraviolet Photoionization Detector

A. K. Stober, R. Scolnik, and J. P. Hennes
Appl. Opt. 2(7) 735-739 (1963)