Helicity transformation under the collision and merging of two magnetic flux ropes

DeHaas, Timothy; Gekelman, Walter

doi:10.1063/1.4991413

Helicity transformation under the collision and merging of two magnetic flux ropes

Journal Article · Wed Jul 05 00:00:00 UTC 2017 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4991413· OSTI ID:1474289

DeHaas, Timothy ^[1]; ^[2]

Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)

Magnetic helicity has become a useful tool in the analysis of astrophysical plasmas. Its conservation in the magnetohydrodynamic limit (and other fluid approaches) constrains the global behavior of large plasma structures. One such astrophysical structure is a magnetic flux rope: a tube-like, current-carrying plasma embedded in an external magnetic field. Bundles of these ropes are commonly observed in the near-earth environment and solar atmosphere. In this well-diagnosed experiment (three-dimensional measurements of n_e, T_e, V_p, B, J, E, and u_flow), two magnetic flux ropes are generated in the Large Plasma Device at UCLA. These ropes are driven kink-unstable to trigger complex motion. As they interact, helicity conservation is examined in regions of reconnection. We examine (1) the transport of helicity and (2) the dissipation of the helicity. As the ropes move and the topology of the field lines diverge, a quasi-separatrix layer (QSL) is formed. As the QSL forms, magnetic helicity is dissipated within this region. Here, at the same time, there is an influx of canonical helicity into the region such that the temporal derivative of magnetic helicity is zero

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE; USDOE Office of Science (SC), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) (SC-24)

Grant/Contract Number:: FC02-07ER54918

OSTI ID:: 1474289

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1367936

Journal Information:: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 24; ISSN 1070-664X

Publisher:: American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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