The effect of local magnetic field perturbations on confinement of particles in an adiabatic magnetic trap

Abstract

It has been observed in experiments on the “Ogrenok” adiabatic magnetic trap that loss of fast ions in the mirror and to the wall of the chamber occurs mainly in the region where the magnetic channel is located. The reason for the loss is scattering of ions by a local perturbation of the magnetic field produced by the magnetic channel. Measurements have been made of the dimensions of the perturbation region and the nature of the perturbation itself. It has been found that replacing the magnetic channel by an electrostatic channel produces a marked reduction in the fast ion current lost in the mirror and to the wall. There is no region here from which the ion loss predominantly occurs. Measurements were made of some of the parameters of the fast ion scattering by perturbations of this sort by setting up a dipole type adjustable local perturbation.