Nonstationary gasdynamic processes in a magnetoplasma accelerator for dielectric strikers

A one-dimensional, time dependent numerical model is constructed for MHD processes in the channel of a magnetoplasma accelerator for a specified time dependence of the operating current and neglecting erosion losses from the walls of the channel. It is shown that an intensive gasdynamic flow exists along the entire channel, but the electrical discharge does not undergo densification at the end of the accelerated striker like an H-clamped discharge. The gasdynamic pressure at the surface of the striker has an oscillatory character because of shock wave processes in the flow. In the decaying portion of the operating current it is noted that shunting current structures develop and spatial broadening of the initial current structures occurs. The humerical satisfactorily reflects a number of the physical phenomena observed in the experiments.