There has been many experiments on effect of magnetic field on low pressure plasma and atmospheric jets but has there been any works on atmospheric plasma discharge before? What's the minimum pressure limit for having a measurable effect in effect of magnetic field on plasma discharge?
There are two kinds of effects on the discharge. Macroscopic effects on the current and a microscopic effect on the electron energy distribution function.
In the first category I consider the Hall current, Faraday electromotive field (u x B) and the MHD interaction (J x B). After that, there is a microscopic effect on the electron energy distribution function, which is proportional to (E x B x E)/fe where fe is the collision frequency of electron elastic collisions with heavy particles. I have attached a paper with the theory.
If B is parallel to plasma, no significant change in principle would be speculated. Howevwe, appreciable changes are bound to occur in wave excitation processes involving a plethora of waves, if B is perpendicular to plasma.
P.K. Karmakar
Dear Dr. Karmakar,
This is a very exciting answer. What kind of waves is generated in plasmas when the B is perpendicular to plasma?
Would you please provide any reference supporting this statement?
Alfven wave (perpendicular) and Magnetosonic wave (parallel) relative to the field
Ref: Principle of plasma physics ............by FF Chen
Thank you for the answer. I know Prof. Chen`s publications, especially about the helicon waves. But these are not applicable to atmospheric pressure plasmas... Prof. Chen answered to my question about atmospheric pressure plasmas and magnetic field interaction: "A magnetic field would not have much effect when the collision mean free paths are so short." And this is true for atmospheric pressure plasmas.