An Electromagnetic Drift Instability in the Magnetic Reconnection Experiment (MRX) and its Importance for Magnetic Reconnection

Technical Report · Tue Jun 07 04:00:00 EDT 2005

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/840910· OSTI ID:840910

Kulsrud, Russell ^[1]; Ji, Hantao; Fox, Will; Yamada, Masaaki

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1. Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory

The role which resistivity plays in breaking magnetic field lines, heating the plasma, and plasma field slippage during magnetic reconnection is discussed. Magnetic fluctuations are observed in the MRX (Magnetic Reconnection Experiment) that are believed to provide resistive friction or wave resistivity. A localized linear theory has been proposed for their origin as an obliquely propagating Lower Hybrid Drift Instability. In this paper, the linear theory of the instability is summarized, and the resulting heating and slippage are calculated from quasi-linear theory. Making use of measured amplitudes of the magnetic fluctuations in the MRX the amount of these effects is estimated. Within the experimental uncertainties they are shown to be quite important for the magnetic reconnection process.

• Research Organization: Princeton Plasma Physics Lab., Princeton, NJ (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy; USDOE Office of Science (SC) (US)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH03073
• OSTI ID: 840910
• Report Number(s): PPPL-4077
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
AMPLITUDES
DRIFT INSTABILITY
FLUCTUATIONS
FRICTION
HEATING
INSTABILITY
LOWER HYBRID WAVES
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC RECONNECTION
ORIGIN
PLASMA
QUASILINEAR THEORIES