Magnetic field influence on the ecton processes ignition and sustainment

The dynamics of the dense pulsed plasma of the explosive emission center has been considered with taking into account applied magnetic field influence on the ignition and sustainment of the ecton processes. The transient spark stage and arc stage of a vacuum discharge have been analyzed from point of view non-stationary explosive-like behavior of the ecton cycles. It has been proposed that for a high-energy ion flux during the spark stage an intense sputtering and erosion plasma production could be responsible for the new ectons ignition under the cathode flares action. It has been found that the polarization current j_φ = σv_plB/c induced by explosive expanding of the ecton plasma (v_pt~10 km/s) across the magnetic field give rise to the additional positive current density at the retrograde side of the ecton plasma. Taking into account a critical value of the positive current density from the plasma to surface, j_cr of about 0.1-1 MA/cm² one results in roughly linear dependence of the average displacement, δx, from the magnetic field. The corresponding retrograde drift velocity, vdrift/B, is about 40 m/s/T (for j_cr = 1 MA/cm²) and 1300-1900 m/s/T (fory_c,= 0.1 MA/cm²).