Effect of magnetic field on the lateral interaction of plasma plumes

Lateral interaction between two geometrically modified plasma plumes in the presence of a transverse magnetic field has been investigated. Characteristic behavior of both seed plumes and the interaction region in the presence of the field is compared with those for the field free case. Contrary to the field free case, no sharp interaction zone is observed; rather large enhancement in emission intensities in both seed and interaction regions is observed in the case of a magnetic field. The observed results are explained on the basis of atomic analysis of the spectral lines from the interaction region of the interacting plumes. The physical processes responsible for higher electron temperature and increased ionic line emission from singly as well as doubly ionized aluminum are briefly discussed.