Explosive emission processes in thermonuclear facilities with magnetic plasma confinement and in linear electron–positron colliders

A model of the phenomenon of explosive electron emission based on its similarity to the electrical explosion of conductors is presented. With this model, the microexplosive processes occurring on a cathode surface due to the action of the explosive emission current have been simulated. The simulation results have been used to analyze explosive emission processes caused by the operation of unipolar arcs in thermonuclear reactors with magnetic plasma confinement and by the initiation of radiofrequency vacuum breakdowns in the accelerating structures of linear electron–positron colliders. The structure of the arc discharge cathode spot and the erosion characteristics have been investigated for nanostructured tungsten (W-fuzz) surfaces formed in thermonuclear reactors with magnetic plasma confinement. For radiofrequency vacuum breakdowns, the initiating parameters have been estimated, and prebreakdown and microexplosive processes have been simulated.