Distributions of magnetic field and current in pinching plasma flows: effect of axial magnetic field

Pinching plasma flows in an additional axial magnetic are an interesting phenomenon that has many applications in various fields of science and technology. The influence of the external axial magnetic field of 0.24 T on helium plasma flows generated by a plasma accelerator of a magnetoplasma compressor type has been studied. Measurements of the self-generated magnetic field were conducted using different magnetic probes inserted in the plasma flow outside the accelerating channel during the discharge. The data were obtained with and without an external axial magnetic field at different distances from the outlet of the accelerator, taking into account the axial symmetry of the plasma flow. Two-dimensional distributions of the electric current flowing outside the accelerating channel were plotted using the data from the magnetic probe measurements and analyzed. The external axial magnetic field leads to an increase in the magnitude of the self-generated magnetic field in plasma flows and, therefore, changes the spatial distribution of the electric current.