title: Threshold for thermal ionization of an aluminum surface by pulsed megagauss magnetic field.
abstract: The first measurement of the threshold for thermal ionization of the surface of thick metal by pulsed magnetic field (B) is reported. Thick aluminum-with depth greater than the magnetic skin layer-was pulsed with partial differential B/ partial differential t from 30-80 MG/micros. Novel loads avoided nonthermal plasma (from electron avalanche, or energetic particles or photons from arcs). Thermal plasma forms from 6061-alloy aluminum when the surface magnetic field reaches 2.2 MG, in qualitative agreement with numerical simulation results by Garanin et al. [J. Appl. Mech. Tech. Phys. 46, 153 (2005)].
authors.affiliation: University of Nevada, Reno, 5625 Fox Avenue, Reno, Nevada 89506, USA. awetom@gmail.com
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Awe
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fuelling
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Siemon