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Description:
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An experimental investigation of the effect of applied axial magnetic fields on exploding wires has been conducted . The magnetic field effect was studied by monitoring the waveforms of the voltage across and the current through the wire . The explosion can generally be divided into three time periods—the initial pulse , the dwell , and the restrike . Some of the theories proposed to explain the mechanisms of the wire explosion are discussed . Since the wire explosion depends to a great degree on the experimental arrangement , the components of the exploding wire system are described in detail . Several sizes of copper wire were exploded in axial magnetic fields as high as 72 kG . In small , long wires the effect of the magnetic field was t o delay the restrike . In larger , shorter wires the magnetic field tended to increase the length of the initial pulse . The letter effect suggests that higher plasma temperatures nay be reached in exploding wires by applying an axial magnetic field . |