Magnetospheric Vortex Formation: Self-Organized Confinement of Charged Particles

Journal Article · Fri Jun 11 00:00:00 EDT 2010 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVLETT.104.235004· OSTI ID:21410407

Yoshida, Z; Saitoh, H; Morikawa, J; Yano, Y; Watanabe, S; Ogawa, Y ^[1]

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1. Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8561 (Japan)

A magnetospheric configuration gives rise to various peculiar plasma phenomena that pose conundrums to astrophysical studies; at the same time, innovative technologies may draw on the rich physics of magnetospheric plasmas. We have created a ''laboratory magnetosphere'' with a levitating superconducting ring magnet. Here we show that charged particles (electrons) self-organize a stable vortex, in which particles diffuse inward to steepen the density gradient. The rotating electron cloud is sustained for more than 300 s. Because of its simple geometry and self-organization, this system will have wide applications in confining single- and multispecies charged particles.

• OSTI ID: 21410407
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 104, Issue 23; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.104.235004; (c) 2010 The American Physical Society; ISSN 0031-9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ASTROPHYSICS
CHARGED PARTICLES
CONFINEMENT
DENSITY
GEOMETRY
PLASMA
SUPERCONDUCTING MAGNETS
VORTICES
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTROMAGNETS
EQUIPMENT
MAGNETS
MATHEMATICS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTING DEVICES