Magnetic field propagation in a two ion species planar plasma opening switch

Three fluid plasma evolution equations are applied to the problem of magnetic field propagation in a planar plasma opening switch. For certain initial conditions in which Hall parameter H 1, magnetic field penetration due to the Hall field, initially, as expected, either opposes or adds to the hydromagnetic pushing, depending on the polarity of the magnetic field relative to the density gradient. Later, however, the plasma pushing by the magnetic field is found in the case studied here to modify the plasma density in a way that the density gradient tends to align with the magnetic field gradient, effectively turning off the Hall effect. The penetration of the magnetic field then ceases and plasma pushing becomes the dominant process. © 2007 American Institute of Physics. DOI: 10.1063/1.2736353