A magnetic nozzle calculation of the force on a plasma

The measured axial force imparted from a magnetically expanding current-free plasma has been shown recently [Takahashi, Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 235001 (2011)] to equal the axial force on that plasma calculated by a two-dimensional fluid model. Here, we calculate the same axial force on the plasma by a quasi one-dimensional model of a magnetic nozzle. The quasi one-dimensional magnetic nozzle model provides us with an estimate of the force on the plasma that is similar to that found by the more accurate two-dimensional model.