Calculated non-linear magnetic field penetration of Plasma Opening Switches

We examine magnetic field penetration in the Plasma Opening Switch, exploring, in particular, advective field penetration arising in conjunction with radial density gradients across the cathode anode gap. Our calculations have been completed with the implicit multi-fluid, ANTHEM code. We show favored penetration along a radial density jump, unstable plain wave penetration for a 1/(y-y_a+ϵ) density dependence (with y measured from cathode to anode at y_a) in planar switches, and the penetration of finger-like magnetic field perturbations, when the fill plasma bears initial sinusoidal disturbances on its generator interface.