OPTIMIZATION OF THE WORKING PROCESSES IN A BALLISTIC PLASMA GUN WITH MULTIPLE-STAGE HEATING

Possible operating regimes of ballistic plasma guns are investigated. The optimization of the parameters and operating regimes of these inst allations allowed substantially (by a factor of 10-20) enhancing their energy capacity. The energy characteristics attained, as well as the independence and high coefficient of conversion of the energy of prope lling gas into the plasma radiation energy in the optical and ultravio let wavelength ranges (up to 30% in real experimental devices), enable one to expand the range of application of the sources of optical and UV radiation on the basis of ballistic plasma guns.