Laboratory observation of resistive electron tearing in a two-fluid reconnecting current sheet
Abstract
The spontaneous formation of plasmoids via the resistive electron tearing of a reconnecting current sheet is observed in the laboratory. These experiments are performed during driven, antiparallel reconnection in the two-fluid regime within the Magnetic Reconnection Experiment. It is found that plasmoids are present even at a very low Lundquist number, and the number of plasmoids scales with both the current sheet aspect ratio and the Lundquist number. Furthermore, the reconnection electric field increases when plasmoids are formed, leading to an enhanced reconnection rate.
- Authors:
-
- Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1334747
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1306701
- Report Number(s):
- 5302
Journal ID: ISSN 0031-9007; PRLTAO; PII: S0167819116300552
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC02-09CH11466; NNH15AB29I; NNH14AX631; AC0209CH11466
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Physical Review Letters
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 117; Journal Issue: 9; Journal ID: ISSN 0031-9007
- Publisher:
- American Physical Society (APS)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
Citation Formats
Jara-Almonte, Jonathan, Ji, Hantao, Yamada, Masaaki, Yoo, Jongsoo, and Fox, William. Laboratory observation of resistive electron tearing in a two-fluid reconnecting current sheet. United States: N. p., 2016.
Web. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.095001.
Jara-Almonte, Jonathan, Ji, Hantao, Yamada, Masaaki, Yoo, Jongsoo, & Fox, William. Laboratory observation of resistive electron tearing in a two-fluid reconnecting current sheet. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.095001
Jara-Almonte, Jonathan, Ji, Hantao, Yamada, Masaaki, Yoo, Jongsoo, and Fox, William. Thu .
"Laboratory observation of resistive electron tearing in a two-fluid reconnecting current sheet". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.095001. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1334747.
@article{osti_1334747,
title = {Laboratory observation of resistive electron tearing in a two-fluid reconnecting current sheet},
author = {Jara-Almonte, Jonathan and Ji, Hantao and Yamada, Masaaki and Yoo, Jongsoo and Fox, William},
abstractNote = {The spontaneous formation of plasmoids via the resistive electron tearing of a reconnecting current sheet is observed in the laboratory. These experiments are performed during driven, antiparallel reconnection in the two-fluid regime within the Magnetic Reconnection Experiment. It is found that plasmoids are present even at a very low Lundquist number, and the number of plasmoids scales with both the current sheet aspect ratio and the Lundquist number. Furthermore, the reconnection electric field increases when plasmoids are formed, leading to an enhanced reconnection rate.},
doi = {10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.095001},
journal = {Physical Review Letters},
number = 9,
volume = 117,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Aug 25 00:00:00 EDT 2016},
month = {Thu Aug 25 00:00:00 EDT 2016}
}
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