Plasmoid structure from MeV ion imaging

Summary form only given. The internal structure of deuterium plasmoids is recorded via the nonuniform distribution of D-ion tracks on the target on which the plasmoid impacts, at a distance L from the plasmoid source. The target is covered with a mylar foil of thickness /spl delta/ (/spl cong/ 25 /spl mu/m, or /spl cong/ 50 /spl mu/m) which screens out the deuterons of energy smaller than a chosen value of E/sub t/ (/spl delta/) (/spl les/ 1.5 MeV, or /spl les/ 2.5 MeV). The 100 /spl mu/m to 300 /spl mu/m diameter plasmoids are produced from MA focused discharges. All data support the idea that the energy is stored at high density in the plasmoid at the time of plasmoid formation, rather than being continously fed to the plasmoid from electromagnetic waves of suitable (resonant) wavelength, as was hypothesized for similar plasma objects of diameter 10 cm to 30 cm.