DETERMINATION OF CURRENT-LAYER PARAMETERS IN 3-DIMENSIONAL MAGNETIC-FIELD CONFIGURATIONS BASED ON MAGNETIC MEASUREMENTS

A diagnostic method for determining both the configuration of a plasma electric current and the current-layer parameters by means of magneti c-field measurements outside a plasma volume is proposed. The results of current-layer width measurements are presented; this layer is forme d in two-dimensional magnetic fields with a zero line. The reported da ta agree well with previous theoretical and experimental results. The possibility of creating current layers in three-dimensional magnetic f ields with a zero point has been established for the first time. Param eters of the current layers are determined under the smooth transition from two- to three-dimensional magnetic-field configuration.