Study of Magnetic Reconnection in a Laboratory Experiment

Journal Article · Wed Sep 28 04:00:00 EDT 2005 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2077169· OSTI ID:20719370

Yamada, Masaaki; Hantao, Ji; Kulsrud, Russell; Gerhardt, Stefan ^[1]; Kuritsyn, Aleksey; Yang, Ren; Breslau, Joshua ^[2]

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1. Center for Magnetic Self-Organization in Laboratory and Astrophysical Plasmas, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08543 (United States)
2. Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08543 (United States)

This paper reviews the most recent findings of the laboratory experiment which address the local physics of magnetic reconnection, and related physics issues. In particular, physics analysis of the experimental data from Magnetic Reconnection Experiment (MRX) based on the one-fluid MHD and the two-fluid MHD formulations are comparatively highlighted. Major results are: (1) Reduced magnetic reconnection rate measured with externally applied guide field (2) Experimental verification of Hall MHD effects in the Harris-type neutral sheet, with the width comparable to the ion skin depth, during magnetic reconnection, (3) Recognition of correlation between magnetic turbulence and reconnection rate, and (4) Discussions with regard to scalings for magnetic reconnection observed in MRX, particularly on the transition from the collisional to the collisionless regime. This paper also briefly discusses the basic goals and approaches of the new initiatives to study magnetic reconnection as a part of magnetic self-organization phenomena, a common frontier of both laboratory and space astrophysics research.

• OSTI ID: 20719370
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 784; ISSN APCPCS; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ASTROPHYSICS
CORRELATIONS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
HALL EFFECT
MAGNETIC RECONNECTION
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
TURBULENCE
VERIFICATION