Particle-in-cell simulations of magnetically driven reconnection using laser-powered capacitor coils

Journal Article · 07 May 2018 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5021147 · OSTI ID:1467034

Huang, Kai  ^[1]; Lu, Quanming ^[1]; Gao, Lan ^[2]; Ji, Hantao ^[3]; Wang, Xueyi ^[4]; Fan, Feibin ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Science and Technology of China, Hefei (China). CAS Key Lab. of Geospace Environment. Dept. of Geophysics and Planetary Science
2. Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
3. Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States); Princeton Univ., NJ (United States). Dept. of Astrophysical Sciences
4. Auburn Univ., AL (United States). Physics Dept.

In this study, we propose an experimental scheme to fulfill magnetically driven reconnections. Here, two laser beams are focused on a capacitor-coil target and then strong currents are wired in two parallel circular coils. Magnetic reconnection occurs between the two magnetic bubbles created by the currents in the two parallel circular coils. A two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation model in the cylindrical coordinate is used to investigate such a process, and the simulations are performed in the $(r,z)$ plane. The results show that with the increase of the currents in the two coils, the associated magnetic bubbles expand and a current sheet is formed between the two bubbles. Magnetic reconnection occurs when the current sheet is sufficiently thin. A quadrupole structure of the magnetic field in the $\theta$ direction ( $B_{\theta }$) is generated in the diffusion region and a strong electron current along the $r$ direction ( $J_{er}$) is also formed due to the existence of the high-speed electron flow away from the X line in the center of the outflow region. Finally, because the X line is a circle along the $\theta$ direction, the convergence of the plasma flow around $r=0$ will lead to the asymmetry of $J_{er}$ and $B_{\theta }$ between the two outflow regions of magnetic reconnection.

• Research Organization: Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States); Univ. of Science and Technology of China, Hefei (China)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; 973 Program (China); National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC); Key Research Program of Frontier Sciences, CAS (China)
• Grant/Contract Number: 2013CBA01503; 41331067; 41527804; 11220101002; QYZDJ-SSW-DQC010
• OSTI ID: 1467034
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 25, Issue 5; ISSN 1070-664X
• Publisher: American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English