Anomalous heating and plasmoid formation in a driven magnetic reconnection experiment
File(s)Hare_PRL_2017_reconn.pdf (948.73 KB)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
We present a detailed study of magnetic reconnection in a quasi-two-dimensional pulsed-power driven laboratory experiment. Oppositely directed magnetic fields (B=3 T), advected by supersonic, sub-Alfvénic carbon plasma flows (Vin=50 km/s), are brought together and mutually annihilate inside a thin current layer (δ=0.6 mm). Temporally and spatially resolved optical diagnostics, including interferometry, Faraday rotation imaging, and Thomson scattering, allow us to determine the structure and dynamics of this layer, the nature of the inflows and outflows, and the detailed energy partition during the reconnection process. We measure high electron and ion temperatures (Te=100 eV, Ti=600 eV), far in excess of what can be attributed to classical (Spitzer) resistive and viscous dissipation. We observe the repeated formation and ejection of plasmoids, consistent with the predictions from semicollisional plasmoid theory.
Date Issued
2017-02-28
Date Acceptance
2017-02-01
Citation
Physical Review Letters, 2017, 118 (8)
ISSN
0031-9007
Publisher
American Physical Society
Journal / Book Title
Physical Review Letters
Volume
118
Issue
8
Copyright Statement
© 2017 American Physical Society. Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 085001 – Published 21 February 2017
Sponsor
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
U.S Department of Energy
U.S Department of Energy
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000394667300011&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Grant Number
EP/N013379/1
675350-9958
416729-G
EP/G001324/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Physics
physics.plasm-ph
physics.plasm-ph
General Physics
01 Mathematical Sciences
02 Physical Sciences
09 Engineering
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
ARTN 085001
Date Publish Online
2020-02-21