New model for electron screening in an ion diode in an external magnetic field
Gordeev A. V. , Grechikha A. V.
A basic mechanism for electron mixing is proposed. This mechanism would arise because the laminar structure of a magnetically insulated electron layer is disrupted by instabilities. The result would be the formation of a plasma-like medium with an equilibrium state ne~B. This result would explain the decay of the voltage across the diode which has been observed experimentally and in numerical calculations. It would also explain the rapid decrease in the phase velocity of electromagnetic waves in the diode. Comparison of the theory derived here with experimental data yields the empirical observation that the rate at which electrons accumulate in the diode gap remains constant. © 1995 American Institute of Physics.