DRIFT-OSCILLATIONS IN A THERMODYNAMICALLY NONEQUILIBRIUM GAS-DISCHARGE PLASMA WITH A DENSITY GRADIENT ACROSS THE MAGNETIC-FIELD

An experimental and theoretical study of the drift oscillations in pla sma of inert gases with a density gradient across the magnetic field h as been carried out under conditions when the plasma is destabilized b y the ion inertia. Experimental investigations of the unstable oscilla tions are performed at low gas pressures and high electron densities. For the theoretical description of the drift oscillations a set of dif ferential equations for a cylindrical bounded plasma is used.