USA - CALTECH

CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

1200 E. California Boulevard
Pasadena, California 91125

Telephone: +1 626 395 4827
Telefax: +1 626 395 2944
E-mail: pbellan@its.caltech.edu
URL:   http://ve4xm.caltech.edu/Bellan_plasma_page

Plasma Physics Group

Bellan, Paul M.
Corngold, Noel R.
Gould, Roy W.

Hsu, Scott
Hansen, Freddy
Pracko, Steven

Romero, Carlos

Research activities:
Basic Plasma Science:

1. The scientific issues underlying helicity injection are being investigated using spheromak-type plasma guns.
2. The propagation of Alfvén waves is being investigated theoretically with particular attention to electron inertia effects and mode conversion.
3. Wave propagation in a pure electron plasma is being investigated.
4. Laser induced fluorescence is being used to diagnose the ion velocity distribution function in a plasma dominated by drift waves.
5. The relationship between solar coronal plasmas and spheromak plasmas is being explored using an experiment which simulates solar prominence eruptions.
6. The operation of high speed gas puffing valves is being investigated.