ABSTRACT
We describe a diagnostic to measure the parallel electron velocity distribution in a magnetized plasma that is overdense (ω(pe) > ω(ce)). This technique utilizes resonant absorption of whistler waves by electrons with velocities parallel to a background magnetic field. The whistler waves were launched and received by a pair of dipole antennas immersed in a cylindrical discharge plasma at two positions along an axial background magnetic field. The whistler wave frequency was swept from somewhat below and up to the electron cyclotron frequency ω(ce). As the frequency was swept, the wave was resonantly absorbed by the part of the electron phase space density which was Doppler shifted into resonance according to the relation ω - k([parallel])v([parallel]) = ω(ce). The measured absorption is directly related to the reduced parallel electron distribution function integrated along the wave trajectory. The background theory and initial results from this diagnostic are presented here. Though this diagnostic is best suited to detect tail populations of the parallel electron distribution function, these first results show that this diagnostic is also rather successful in measuring the bulk plasma density and temperature both during the plasma discharge and into the afterglow.
ABSTRACT
Measurements of the dispersion relation for shear Alfvén waves as a function of perpendicular wave number are reported for the inertial regime for which V{A}>V{Te}. The parallel phase velocity and damping are determined as k{ perpendicular} varies and the measurements are compared to theoretical predictions. The comparison shows that the best agreement between theory and experiment is achieved for a fully complex plasma dispersion relation which includes the effects of electron collisions.
