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 = 6000-17 000 K, and a Coulomb nonideality parameter of 0.01-2.8. Electron concentrations calculated from measured Hall voltages reached 1.6 x 10(21) cm(-3). The recorded conductivities were in the range 0.1-200 Omega(-1) cm(-1). The experimental results were compared with various models of the thermodynamic and transport properties of a nonideal plasma. (C) 2003 MAIK "Nauka / Interperiodica".