Simulation of the Subnanosecond Runaway Electron Source for Low-Dose Industrial Radiography

In this paper we propose an accurate time-dependent finite-element numerical gas discharge simulation in two-dimensional semi-periodic computational geometry of the gas diode with a plane-grid cathode system. The diode configuration was previously studied experimentally as a source of intensive runaway electron beams. It can be used as an effective source of ultrashort powerful X-ray radiation having a wide range of applications, e.g. in the fields of industrial low-dose radiography. The numerical simulations provide estimations of the most important characteristics of an output runaway electron flow.