Characterization of Ion-Acoustic Wave Reflection Off A Plasma Chamber Wall

POSTER

Abstract

We present an experimental characterization of the ion acoustic wave reflection coefficient off a plasma chamber wall. The experiment is performed in a cylindrical, magnetized, singly-ionized Argon inductively-coupled gas discharge plasma that is weakly collisional with typical conditions: n $\sim$ 10$^{10}$cm$^{-3}$ T$_{\mathrm{e}}$ $\sim$ 3 eV and B $\sim$ 1 kG. The main diagnostics are laser-induced fluorescence and Langmuir probe measurements. A survey of the ion velocity distribution function's zeroth and first order as well as density fluctuations at different wave excitation frequencies is obtained. Analysis of the reflection coefficient's dependence on the phase velocity and frequency of the wave is done through the characterization of waves utilizing Case-Van Kampen modes and the use of Morrison's G-transform [1].\\[4pt] [1] F. Skiff, H. Gunell, C.S. Ng A. Bhattacharjee, and W.A. Noonan. Electrostatic Degrees of Freedom in Non-Maxwellian Plasma. Physics of Plasmas, 9(5):1931, 2002.

*This research is supported by the Department of Energy under grant No. DOE DE-FG02-99ER54543

Authors

  • Jorge Berumen

    • The University of Iowa
    • University of Iowa
  • Feng Chu

    • The University of Iowa
  • Ryan Hood

    • The University of Iowa
  • Sean Mattingly

    • The University of Iowa
  • Anthony Rogers

    • The University of Iowa
  • Fred Skiff

    • The University of Iowa