Investigation of the erosion drop fraction for liquid-metal explosive-emission cathodes

The velocity spectrum of drops emitted by a liquid-metal explosive-emission cathode has been investigated. A relation between the sizes of the drops and their maximum velocities has been found for the velocity range 10/sup 3/-8/spl times/10/sup 4/ cm/s. The relation obtained supports the earlier established mechanism for the emission of drops under the action of high pressures developing in explosive emission centers. The possibilities of an additional acceleration of drops due to the explosion of necks formed on breaking the drops off the cathode surface and at the expense of the kinetic energy of the ions of the expanding cathode plasma have been discussed.