Direct observation of anomalously low longitudinal electron heat conductivity in the course of collective relaxation of a high-current relativistic electron beam in plasma

The experimental results on a multiple-mirror trap GOL-3 with a short section of reduced magnetic field (magnetic pit) are presented. The reduced specific energy release from a relativistic electron beam in the pit brings about a region with a temperature several times lower than in the surrounding plasma. The existence of the low-temperature region directly demonstrates that the longitudinal electron heat conductivity is suppressed in the collective electron-beam interaction with plasma. (C) 2003 MAIK Nauka/Interperiodica.