An experimental research on the interaction between a plasma flow and a magnetic field with nozzle-shaped lines of force was made with a large electron Hall parameter. The experiment was made using the plasma flow from a dc arc discharge and a magnetic field generated by a current loop. Measurements were made of the radiation emerging from the plasma flow, the number density of ions, the electron temperature, the impact pressure and the velocity of ions. The results showed that by the application of the magnetic field, the flow was strongly channelled and the electric field was induced in the flow. A theoretical analysis was made to explain the experimental results, using the gasdynamic equations, the generalized Ohm's law and the Maxwell's equations. The theoretical results explained very well the mechanism of the interaction occurring upstream of the coil. The plasma flow was found to flow along magnetic lines of force. The magnetic nozzle, however, accelerated the ions to a higher velocity than that expected from the isentropic expansion.
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