Initial results from investigation of three-dimensional magnetic reconnection in a laboratory plasma

Journal Article · Thu Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Physics of Fluids B; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.859607· OSTI ID:5665183

Yamada, M; Perkins, F W; MacAulay, A K ^[1]; Ono, Y; Katsurai, M ^[2]

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1. Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (USA)
2. Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan (JP)

A comprehensive laboratory experiment has been proposed to investigate the fundamental 3-D physics of magnetic reconnection regions and their associated hydromagnetic flows. Two toroidal plasma rings, with equal or opposite magnetic helicity, are formed and then brought together, contacting along a toroidally symmetric line. This research addresses three important questions: (1) How does magnetic helicity affect reconnection (2) Will three-dimensional processes arise spontaneously and modify the usual Sweet--Parker or Petschek picture of two-dimensional reconnection where the global configuration is that of an axisymmetric X-point line (3) How does the reconnection rate respond to global forcing In a preliminary experiment carried out at the University of Tokyo (Phys. Rev. Lett. {bold 65}, 721 (1990)), the direction of the toroidal field plays an important role in the merging process. It is found that plasmas of opposite helicity merge appreciably faster than those of similar helicity. It is also found that the reconnection rate is proportional to the external force suggesting that magnetic reconnection, in the present experiment, is a forced phenomenon. A comparison of the present experimental data with 2-D computer simulation results is made.

• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH03073
• OSTI ID: 5665183
• Journal Information: Physics of Fluids B; (United States), Journal Name: Physics of Fluids B; (United States) Vol. 3:8; ISSN 0899-8221; ISSN PFBPE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640430* -- Fluid Physics-- Magnetohydrodynamics
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ANNULAR SPACE
CLOSED CONFIGURATIONS
CONFIGURATION
CORRELATIONS
FLUID MECHANICS
HELICITY
HYDRODYNAMICS
MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATIONS
MAGNETIC RECONNECTION
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MECHANICS
PARTICLE PROPERTIES
PLASMA
SPACE
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
TOROIDAL CONFIGURATION