Measurements of the electron concentration and conductivity of a partially ionized inert gas plasma

The results are presented of experiments performed to measure the electron concentration and conductivity of a partially ionized inert gas plasma in a magnetic field. The plasma was generated behind the front of incident and reflected shock waves excited by explosively driven linear generators. A magnetic field of about 5 T was formed inside a solenoid wound on the generator channel. Measurements were taken at P =30−650 MPa, T =6000−17000 K, and a Coulomb nonideality parameter of 0.01–2.8. Electron concentrations calculated from measured Hall voltages reached 1.6×10 21 cm −3 . The recorded conductivities were in the range 0.1–200 Ω −1 cm −1 . The experimental results were compared with various models of the thermodynamic and transport properties of a nonideal plasma.