Double layer tube electric geometry?

[jacmac]

In the POTD of May 6, 2011 "The Crack of Light" this was said:

Electric currents flow along the sheaths. In plasma, the currents spiral into filaments, or double layer tubes that attract each other, but rather than merging they spiral around,

My understanding about the sheaths is that the charge is positive on one side and negative on the other. My question is about the charges when the sheaths spiral into double layer tubes. Is there a typical pattern to the tube regarding the location of the positive and negative charges? Which charges are on the outside of the tube and which charges are on the inside? If a section of a flat sheath spirals itself into a tube which charge (+ or -) will be on the inside.

I understand that these things are not neat and tidy and that a lot of different forces come into play when this happens, but is there an idea of a typical charge arrangement? In all my reading about Birkeland currents in Plasma I have never seen this question asked or answered.

My very simple and primitive guess is that the positive charges might be found on the inside of a double layer tube. I am trying to relate this to the idea(found on this forum) that what we call matter is made by the Z-pinching of these current tubes , and that what results is the physics of "matter" where the electrons are on the outside of atoms and the positive charges are on the inside. The much heavier protons are on the inside and the lighter electrons are on the outside. Is this the same in a double layer tube? Do electric charges arrange themselves in plasma similar to the way they are arranged in more solid matter?

Any other suggestions, ideas or opinions?

Thanks,
Jack

[Sparky]

In the POTD of May 6, 2011 "The Crack of Light" this was said:

Electric currents flow along the sheaths. In plasma, the currents spiral into filaments, or double layer tubes that attract each other, but rather than merging they spiral around,

My understanding about the sheaths is that the charge is positive on one side and negative on the other. My question is about the charges when the sheaths spiral into double layer tubes. Is there a typical pattern to the tube regarding the location of the positive and negative charges? Which charges are on the outside of the tube and which charges are on the inside? If a section of a flat sheath spirals itself into a tube which charge (+ or -) will be on the inside.

I understand that these things are not neat and tidy and that a lot of different forces come into play when this happens, but is there an idea of a typical charge arrangement? In all my reading about Birkeland currents in Plasma I have never seen this question asked or answered.

My very simple and primitive guess is that the positive charges might be found on the inside of a double layer tube. I am trying to relate this to the idea(found on this forum) that what we call matter is made by the Z-pinching of these current tubes , and that what results is the physics of "matter" where the electrons are on the outside of atoms and the positive charges are on the inside. The much heavier protons are on the inside and the lighter electrons are on the outside. Is this the same in a double layer tube? Do electric charges arrange themselves in plasma similar to the way they are arranged in more solid matter?

Any other suggestions, ideas or opinions?

Thanks,
Jack

here is a pdf about charges, energy flow, and current.

http://staff.science.uva.nl/~eberg/Antw ... Sefton.pdf

[jacmac]

Thanks Sparky for the above link.
The pdf by Mr. Sefton speaks of charges, energy flow and current in a simple circuit with wire conductors.
My question is about the double layer tubes of currents in a plasma.
If a double layer sheath is basically a plane that spirals into a tube shape what might the typical cross section geometry look like in regards to the separated charges? Which side of the sheath(pos. or neg.) curls in on itself to form a tube?

Jack

[Sparky]

Thanks Sparky for the above link.
The pdf by Mr. Sefton speaks of charges, energy flow and current in a simple circuit with wire conductors.
My question is about the double layer tubes of currents in a plasma.
If a double layer sheath is basically a plane that spirals into a tube shape what might the typical cross section geometry look like in regards to the separated charges? Which side of the sheath(pos. or neg.) curls in on itself to form a tube?

Jack

Plasma is too complex for me to imagine...But, engineers reduce complex circuits to simple RCL circuits in order to understand what is going on and visualize it. I don't know of a simple diagram of charge distribution..sorry...Your best bet is to search through the TPODS and other papers on the subject.

As i understand "sheaths", they are made up of many twisted pairs aligned side by side, not in a rope...i guess the whole thing could collapse into a rope of twisted pairs, Birkeland currents...

maybe someone can supply a link to a diagram...