Anomalous heating and plasmoid formation in a driven magnetic reconnection experiment

Hare, J. D.; Suttle, L.; Lebedev, S. V.; Loureiro, N. F.; Ciardi, A.; Burdiak, G. C.; Chittenden, J. P.; Clayson, T.; Garcia, C.; Niasse, N.; Robinson, T.; Smith, R. A.; Stuart, N.; Suzuki-Vidal, F.; Swadling, G. F.; Ma, J.; Wu, J.; Yang, Q.

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.085001

Anomalous heating and plasmoid formation in a driven magnetic reconnection experiment

Journal Article · Tue Feb 21 00:00:00 EST 2017 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.085001· OSTI ID:1347671

Hare, J. D. ^[1]; Suttle, L. ^[1]; Lebedev, S. V. ^[1]; Loureiro, N. F. ^[2]; Ciardi, A. ^[3]; Burdiak, G. C. ^[1]; Chittenden, J. P. ^[1]; Clayson, T. ^[1]; Garcia, C. ^[1]; Niasse, N. ^[1]; Robinson, T. ^[1]; Smith, R. A. ^[1]; Stuart, N. ^[1]; Suzuki-Vidal, F. ^[1]; Swadling, G. F. ^[4]; Ma, J. ^[5]; Wu, J. ^[6]; Yang, Q. ^[7]

Imperial College, London (United Kingdom)
Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)
PSL Reserch Univ., Paris (France)
Imperial College, London (United Kingdom); Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology, Xi'an (China)
Xi'an Jiaotong Univ., Shaanxi (China)
China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang (China)

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 (V_in = 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 (T_e = 100 eV, T_i = 600 eV), far in excess of what can be attributed to classical (Spitzer) resistive and viscous dissipation. Finally, we observe the repeated formation and ejection of plasmoids, consistent with the predictions from semicollisional plasmoid theory.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: AC52-07NA27344; SC0001063

OSTI ID:: 1347671

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1344617

Report Number(s):: LLNL-JRNL--704068

Journal Information:: Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 118; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO

Publisher:: American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

References (32)

On a plasma sheath separating regions of oppositely directed magnetic field Harris, E. G. Il Nuovo Cimento, Vol. 23, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02733547	journal	January 1962
14. The neutral point theory of solar flares Sweet, P. A. Symposium - International Astronomical Union, Vol. 6 https://doi.org/10.1017/S0074180900237704	journal	January 1958
Plasma formation and the implosion phase of wire array z-pinch experiments Lebedev, S. V.; Beg, F. N.; Bland, S. N. Laser and Particle Beams, Vol. 19, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1017/S0263034601193122	journal	July 2001
Sweet's mechanism for merging magnetic fields in conducting fluids Parker, E. N. Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 62, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1029/JZ062i004p00509	journal	December 1957
Conversion of magnetic energy in the magnetic reconnection layer of a laboratory plasma Yamada, Masaaki; Yoo, Jongsoo; Jara-Almonte, Jonathan Nature Communications, Vol. 5, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms5774	journal	September 2014
A high impedance mega‐ampere generator for fiber z ‐pinch experiments Mitchell, I. H.; Bayley, J. M.; Chittenden, J. P. Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 67, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1146884	journal	April 1996
Experimental study of ion heating and acceleration during magnetic reconnection Hsu, S. C.; Carter, T. A.; Fiksel, G. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 8, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1356737	journal	May 2001
Equilibrium flow structures and scaling of implosion trajectories in wire array Z pinches Chittenden, J. P.; Lebedev, S. V.; Oliver, B. V. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 11, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1643756	journal	March 2004
Quantitative analysis of plasma ablation using inverse wire array Z pinches Harvey-Thompson, A. J.; Lebedev, S. V.; Bland, S. N. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 16, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3077305	journal	February 2009
The Role of Flux Advection in the Development of the Ablation Streams and Precursors of Wire Array Z-pinches Greenly, John; Martin, Matthew; Blesener, Isaac DENSE Z-PINCHES: Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Dense Z-Pinches, AIP Conference Proceedings https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3079752	conference	January 2009
Hall magnetohydrodynamic reconnection in the plasmoid unstable regime Baalrud, S. D.; Bhattacharjee, A.; Huang, Y. -M. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 18, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3633473	journal	September 2011
Magnetic reconnection and stochastic plasmoid chains in high-Lundquist-number plasmas Loureiro, N. F.; Samtaney, R.; Schekochihin, A. A. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 19, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3703318	journal	April 2012
The formation of reverse shocks in magnetized high energy density supersonic plasma flows Lebedev, S. V.; Suttle, L.; Swadling, G. F. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 21, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4874334	journal	May 2014
Diagnosing collisions of magnetized, high energy density plasma flows using a combination of collective Thomson scattering, Faraday rotation, and interferometry (invited) Swadling, G. F.; Lebedev, S. V.; Hall, G. N. Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 85, Issue 11 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4890564	journal	November 2014
Experimental investigations of ablation stream interaction dynamics in tungsten wire arrays: Interpenetration, magnetic field advection, and ion deflection Swadling, G. F.; Lebedev, S. V.; Hall, G. N. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 23, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4948279	journal	May 2016
Understanding the dynamics and energetics of magnetic reconnection in a laboratory plasma: Review of recent progress on selected fronts Yamada, Masaaki; Yoo, Jongsoo; Myers, Clayton E. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 23, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4948721	journal	May 2016
Signatures of asymmetry in neutron spectra and images predicted by three-dimensional radiation hydrodynamics simulations of indirect drive implosions Chittenden, J. P.; Appelbe, B. D.; Manke, F. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 23, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4949523	journal	May 2016
Magnetic reconnection with Sweet-Parker characteristics in two-dimensional laboratory plasmas Ji, Hantao; Yamada, Masaaki; Hsu, Scott Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 6, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.873432	journal	May 1999
Is the Magnetic Field in the Heliosheath Laminar or a Turbulent sea of Bubbles? Opher, M.; Drake, J. F.; Swisdak, M. The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 734, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/734/1/71	journal	May 2011
Magnetic reconnection: from the Sweet–Parker model to stochastic plasmoid chains Loureiro, N. F.; Uzdensky, D. A. Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, Vol. 58, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1088/0741-3335/58/1/014021	journal	November 2015
Characterization of single and colliding laser-produced plasma bubbles using Thomson scattering and proton radiography Rosenberg, M. J.; Ross, J. S.; Li, C. K. Physical Review E, Vol. 86, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.86.056407	journal	November 2012
Interpenetration, Deflection, and Stagnation of Cylindrically Convergent Magnetized Supersonic Tungsten Plasma Flows Swadling, G. F.; Lebedev, S. V.; Harvey-Thompson, A. J. Physical Review Letters, Vol. 113, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.035003	journal	July 2014
Magnetic Reconnection between Colliding Magnetized Laser-Produced Plasma Plumes Fiksel, G.; Fox, W.; Bhattacharjee, A. Physical Review Letters, Vol. 113, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.105003	journal	September 2014
Structure of a Magnetic Flux Annihilation Layer Formed by the Collision of Supersonic, Magnetized Plasma Flows Suttle, L. G.; Hare, J. D.; Lebedev, S. V. Physical Review Letters, Vol. 116, Issue 22 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.225001	journal	May 2016
Experimental Demonstration of the Collisionless Plasmoid Instability below the Ion Kinetic Scale during Magnetic Reconnection Olson, J.; Egedal, J.; Greess, S. Physical Review Letters, Vol. 116, Issue 25 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.255001	journal	June 2016
Laboratory Observation of Resistive Electron Tearing in a Two-Fluid Reconnecting Current Sheet Jara-Almonte, Jonathan; Ji, Hantao; Yamada, Masaaki Physical Review Letters, Vol. 117, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.095001	journal	August 2016
Electromagnetic Fluctuations during Fast Reconnection in a Laboratory Plasma Ji, Hantao; Terry, Stephen; Yamada, Masaaki Physical Review Letters, Vol. 92, Issue 11 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.92.115001	journal	March 2004
Magnetic Reconnection and Plasma Dynamics in Two-Beam Laser-Solid Interactions Nilson, P. M.; Willingale, L.; Kaluza, M. C. Physical Review Letters, Vol. 97, Issue 25 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.97.255001	journal	December 2006
Magnetic reconnection Yamada, Masaaki; Kulsrud, Russell; Ji, Hantao Reviews of Modern Physics, Vol. 82, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1103/RevModPhys.82.603	journal	March 2010
Characterizing the Plasmas of Dense $Z$ -Pinches Ryutov, Dmitri D. IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, Vol. 43, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1109/TPS.2015.2453265	journal	August 2015
Magnetic Reconnection in Astrophysical and Laboratory Plasmas Zweibel, Ellen G.; Yamada, Masaaki Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Vol. 47, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-astro-082708-101726	journal	September 2009
Magnetic Fields in the Solar Convection Zone Fan, Yuhong Living Reviews in Solar Physics, Vol. 6 https://doi.org/10.12942/lrsp-2009-4	journal	January 2009

Cited By (12)

An experimental platform for pulsed-power driven magnetic reconnection Hare, J. D.; Suttle, L. G.; Lebedev, S. V. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 25, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5016280	journal	May 2018
Ion heating and magnetic flux pile-up in a magnetic reconnection experiment with super-Alfvénic plasma inflows Suttle, L. G.; Hare, J. D.; Lebedev, S. V. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 25, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5023664	journal	April 2018
Anomalous plasma acceleration in colliding high-power laser-produced plasmas Morita, T.; Nagashima, K.; Edamoto, M. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 26, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5100197	journal	September 2019
Influence of 3D plasmoid dynamics on the transition from collisional to kinetic reconnection Stanier, A.; Daughton, W.; Le, A. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 26, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5100737	journal	July 2019
GLIDER—A pulsed-current generator for laboratory astrophysics x-ray absorption experiments Gissis, I.; Behar, E.; Fisher, A. Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 91, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5133056	journal	February 2020
Interactions of magnetized plasma flows in pulsed-power driven experiments Suttle, L. G.; Burdiak, G. C.; Cheung, C. L. Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, Vol. 62, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6587/ab5296	journal	December 2019
Exploring astrophysics-relevant magnetohydrodynamics with pulsed-power laboratory facilities Lebedev, S. V.; Frank, A.; Ryutov, D. D. Reviews of Modern Physics, Vol. 91, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1103/revmodphys.91.025002	journal	April 2019
Fast Ion Heating in Transient Collisionless Magnetic Reconnection via an Intrinsic Stochastic Mechanism Yoon, Young Dae; Bellan, Paul M. The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 868, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aaf0a3	journal	November 2018
Kinetic Verification of the Stochastic Ion Heating Mechanism in Collisionless Magnetic Reconnection Yoon, Young Dae; Bellan, Paul M. The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 887, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ab5b0a	journal	December 2019
Ion heating and magnetic flux pile-up in a magnetic reconnection experiment with super-Alfvenic plasma inflows Suttle, L. G.; Hare, J. D.; Lebedev, S. V. arXiv https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.1802.09875	text	January 2018
Interactions of magnetized plasma flows in pulsed-power driven experiments Suttle, L. G.; Burdiak, G. C.; Cheung, C. L. arXiv https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.1907.09447	text	January 2019
Anomalous plasma acceleration in colliding high-power laser-produced plasmas Morita, T.; Nagashima, K.; Edamoto, M. arXiv https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.1909.02880	text	January 2019

Similar Records

Formation and structure of a current sheet in pulsed-power driven magnetic reconnection experiments

Journal Article · Thu Sep 21 20:00:00 EDT 2017 · Physics of Plasmas · OSTI ID:1547050

Ion heating and magnetic flux pile-up in a magnetic reconnection experiment with super-Alfvénic plasma inflows

Journal Article · Mon Apr 09 20:00:00 EDT 2018 · Physics of Plasmas · OSTI ID:1499656

Influence of 3D plasmoid dynamics on the transition from collisional to kinetic reconnection

Journal Article · Tue Jul 30 20:00:00 EDT 2019 · Physics of Plasmas · OSTI ID:1558975

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY

Anomalous heating and plasmoid formation in a driven magnetic reconnection experiment

Citation Formats

References (32)

Cited By (12)

Similar Records

Related Subjects