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

Journal Article · · Physics of Plasmas
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5023664· OSTI ID:1499656

This work presents a magnetic reconnection experiment in which the kinetic, magnetic and thermal properties of the plasma each play an important role in the overall energy balance and structure of the generated reconnection layer. Magnetic reconnection occurs during the interaction of continuous and steady flows of super-Alfvénic, magnetized, aluminum plasma, which collide in a geometry with two-dimensional symmetry, producing a stable and long-lasting reconnection layer. Optical Thomson scattering measurements show that when the layer forms, ions inside the layer are more strongly heated than electrons, reaching temperatures of Ti~$$ \overline{Z}\ $$Te≳300 eV – much greater than can be expected from strong shock and viscous heating alone. Later in time, as the plasma density in the layer increases, the electron and ion temperatures are found to equilibrate, and a constant plasma temperature is achieved through a balance of the heating mechanisms and radiative losses of the plasma. Conclusively, measurements from Faraday rotation polarimetry also indicate the presence of significant magnetic field pile-up occurring at the boundary of the reconnection region, which is consistent with the super-Alfvénic velocity of the inflows

Research Organization:
Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States); Imperial College, London (United Kingdom)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Defense Programs (DP); USDOE Office of Legacy Management (LM), Office of Field Operations
Grant/Contract Number:
NA0003764; F03-02NA00057; NA-0003764; SC-0001063
OSTI ID:
1499656
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1432579
Journal Information:
Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 25, Issue 4; ISSN 1070-664X
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 7 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (4)

Interactions of magnetized plasma flows in pulsed-power driven experiments journal December 2019
Lower-hybrid drift instability and macroscopic flow of colliding magnetized plasmas journal October 2018
Lower-Hybrid Drift Instability and Macroscopic Flow of Colliding Magnetized Plasmas text January 2018
Interactions of magnetized plasma flows in pulsed-power driven experiments text January 2019