Experimental study of the recombination of a drifting low temperature   plasma in the divertor simulator Mistral-B
  In a new divertor simulator, an ultra-cold (Te<1 eV) high density recombining magnetized laboratory plasma is studied using probes, spectroscopic measurements, and ultra-fast imaging of spontaneous emission. The Mistral-B device consists in a linear high density magnetized plasma column. The ionizing electrons originate from a large cathode array located in the fringing field of the solenoid. The ionizing electrons are focused in a 3 cm diameter hole at the entrance of the solenoid. The typical plasma density on the axis is close to 2.10^18 m-3. The collector is segmented into two plates and a transverse electric field is applied through a potential difference between the plates. The Lorentz force induces the ejection of a very-low temperature plasma jet in the limiter shadow. The characteristic convection time and decay lengths have been obtained with an ultra-fast camera. The study of the atomic physics of the recombining plasma allows to understand the measured decay time and to explain the emission spectra. 
Cedric Brault (PIIM), Alexandre Escarguel (PIIM), Mohamed Koubiti   (PIIM), Roland Stamm (PIIM), Thiery Pierre (PIIM), Kamal...