THE EFFECT OF ASYMMETRIES ON NONNEUTRAL PLASMA-CONFINEMENT TIME

Theory predicts that perfectly azimuthally symmetric non-neutral plasm a traps should confine plasma forever. Unintentional trap asymmetries are believed to limit plasma confinement times to less than < 10(5) s. Deliberately applied electrostatic fields break the azimuthal symmetr y and affect the plasma confinement time. While small, deliberate asym metries do not significantly reduce the trap's confinement properties, large asymmetries significantly degrade the plasma confinement. The s caling laws of this degradation are studied herein. The mechanism of p lasma loss appears to change when deliberate asymmetries are applied.