EROSION OF A RELATIVISTIC ELECTRON-BEAM PROPAGATING IN A PLASMA CHANNEL

A relativistic electron beam has propagated 91 m in a laser-ionized pl asma channel across applied magnetic fields much larger than the geoma gnetic field. Beam currents ranged from 0.3 to 1.0 kA and transverse m agnetic fields from 0.1 to 4.0 G. Beam degradation in the form of a sh ortening of the current pulse (erosion) was observed. The erosion proc esses were inductive and magnetic erosion. Observed total erosion rate s are in agreement with the summation of the theoretical inductive and magnetic erosion rates. Magnetic erosion was enhanced when the beam r adius was larger than the channel.