Simulation of long time scale plasma opening switches

Summary form only given, as follows. The two-dimensional implicit ANTHEM code has been used to examine the feasibility of plasma opening switch operation at conduction times ranging from 500 ns to 3 mu s. The classical bicylindrical switch is examined with a cathode radius of 8 cm, an anode radius of 11.5 cm, and a plasma length of 20 cm as typical dimensions. The generator current rises linearly to 1 MA. The plasma dynamics of operation is described for fill electron number densities from 10/sup 13/ to 10/sup 15/ cm/sup -3/ and for loads ranging from a short circuit to 5 Omega .<>