Collaborative Research: Explosive reconnection in relativistic magnetically-dominated plasmas
- Columbia Univ., New York, NY (United States)
Magnetic fields can be the dominant component of astrophysical plasmas, so that the magnetic energy density might exceed even the rest-mass energy density of matter. In this extreme (and largely unexplored) regime the magnetic field controls the overall plasma evolution, dissipation, and acceleration of non-thermal particles. This plasma regime, applicable to a variety of astrophysical sources --- magnetars, pulsars and pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe), jets of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) and Gamma-Ray Bursters (GRBs) --- is dramatically different from laboratory plasmas, the magnetospheres of planets, and the interplanetary plasma. Relativistic astrophysical sources then provide an unique opportunity to study the fundamental plasma physics of magnetically-dominated plasmas; a novel and quickly evolving field of theoretical research which, by investigating energy conversion and particle energization processes in plasmas, is of vital importance to the Fusion Energy Sciences DoE program.
- Research Organization:
- Columbia Univ., New York, NY (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
- Contributing Organization:
- Purdue University
- DOE Contract Number:
- SC0016542
- OSTI ID:
- 1854015
- Type / Phase:
- SBIR (Phase I)
- Report Number(s):
- DOE-COLUMBIA-16542; TRN: US2302948
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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