Electrode erosion under high current vacuum arcs

Electrode erosion was measured under conditions of practical high current and axial magnetic field (AMF). Arc interruptions were made in a demountable vacuum chamber. Electrode erosion was assessed by weighting. It is shown that the rate of electrode erosion with AMF is 39.8 mu g/C and that without AMF it is 1.3 mg/C; the anode gains 15 mu g/C for diffused arcs.<>