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A potential depression is formed between two magnetized plasmas with different electron temperatures and ion species in the absence of electric current passing through them. The depression is deep enough to reflect both groups of electrons, reducing thermal contact between the plasmas. By addition of a magnetic bump to a uniform magnetic field, the potential dip is localized around the mirror point. A dependence of the phenomenon on neutral-gas pressure is also clarified.
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Hatakeyama et al. (1983) studied this question.
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