Wave and Joule heating in a rotating plasma

Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate ion energization by the wave and Joule heating mechanisms in plasma with a radial electric field and an axial magnetic field subjected to increasing ion–neutral collision frequency. Wave and Joule heating regimes were isolated and a transition between the two regimes was observed as the ion–neutral collision frequency was varied. The data show that the dissipation of energy occurs via the mechanism operating on the shortest time scale.