Plasma experiments on the linear scyllac theta pinch

Experiments on a 5‐m‐long theta pinch both with and without strong magnetic mirrors (R ≈ 2.5) are reported. When the experiment is operated without magnetic mirrors, the particle loss rate is found to scale from shorter theta‐pinch experiments directly as the length and inversely as the ion thermal velocity. The electron temperature scales with length (l2/5) as predicted by a theory which accounts for thermal conduction to the ends. Addition of the magnetic mirrors increases plasma confinement time from 11.5 to 18.9 μsec. a smaller increase than predicted by available theories, and also produces an m = 1, k ≈ 0 instability which is moderated under certain conditions by “line tying” effects.