arXiv subjects

B. L. Beaudoin

Publications and source records attributed to B. L. Beaudoin.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Interpretive Modeling of plasma evolution during fueling experiments at CMFX

The Centrifugal Mirror Fusion Experiment (CMFX) is an axisymmetric magnetic mirror with a central cathode which generates an azimuthal, radially sheared, supersonic \( E \times B \) flow. The induced rotation stabilizes, confines, and heats the plasma. The diagnostic set on CMFX is sparse, giving limited insight to the state of the plasma. In this work, we developed a time-dependent interpretive analysis framework that uses applied voltage, input power, and measured neutron yield rate to infer evolving plasma conditions throughout a discharge. The 0D MCTrans++ code serves as the core physics model, incorporating centrifugal effects, viscous heating, and angular momentum confinement to infer plasma parameters from operating conditions and experimental observables. An iterative Newton's method was implemented to solve for the plasma state evolution consistent with experimental measurements averaged over successive time intervals. The interpretive analysis was applied to experiments comparing different fueling strategies, revealing a path to improved performance via several short puffs of fuel spread across the discharge. This insight led to operations at voltages up 70 kV. Deuterium neutron yields up to \(1.5 \times 10^7\) n/s were measured, and ion temperature was inferred to reach 950 eV. Until CMFX gains a more complete diagnostic set, this interpretive analysis framework provides useful insight into the evolution of centrifugal mirror plasmas.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2025

First Observation of Dispersive Shock Waves in an Electron Beam

Dispersive shock waves (DSWs) are expanding nonlinear wave trains that arise when dispersion regularizes a steepening front, a phenomenon observed in fluids, plasmas, optics, and superfluids. Here we report the first experimental observation of DSWs in an intense electron beam, using the University of Maryland Electron Ring (UMER). A localized induction-cell perturbation produced a negative density pulse that evolved into a leading soliton-like peak followed by an expanding train of oscillations. The leading peak satisfied soliton scaling laws for width^2 vs inverse amplitude and velocity vs amplitude, while the total wave-train width increased linearly with time, consistent with Korteweg--de Vries (KdV) predictions. Successive peaks showed decreasing amplitude and velocity toward the trailing edge, in agreement with dispersive shock ordering. These results demonstrate that intense charged particle beams provide a new laboratory platform for studying dispersive hydrodynamics, extending nonlinear wave physics into the high-intensity beam regime.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2022

Optimization of Flat to Round Transformers with Self-fields using Adjoint Techniques

A continuous system of moment equations is introduced that models the transverse dynamics of a beam of charged particles as it passes through an arbitrary lattice of quadrupoles and solenoids in the presence of self-fields. Then, figures of merit are introduced specifying system characteristics to be optimized. The resulting model is used to optimize the parameters of the lattice elements of a flat to round transformer with self-fields, as could be applied in electron cooling. Results are shown for a case of no self-fields and two cases with self-fields. The optimization is based on a gradient descent algorithm in which the gradient is calculated using adjoint methods that prove to be very computationally efficient. Two figures of merit are studied and compared: one emphasizing radial force balance in the solenoid, the other emphasizing minimization of transverse beam energy in the solenoid.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2019

Multi-Stream Instability of a Single Long Electron Bunch in a Storage Ring

A multi-stream instability is observed experimentally in a longitudinally expanding electron beam in a storage ring. The instability is observed when the beam expands such that its length is several times the circumference of the ring, and portions of the beam overlap. While portions of the beam overlap in physical space, due to the nature of the expansion process, the portions form multiple streams and remain separate in velocity space. The streams become unstable as their number increases and their separation in velocity decreases. An analytical theory predicts the onset of the instability, consistent with simulations and measurements, over a wide range of peak line-charge densities and bunch lengths. This work extends previous calculations to include the dynamic non-linear elongation of the bunch, with a given initial length, and defines an onset criterion for the filament velocity separation.

physics.plasm-ph↗