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Title: Slowing of magnetic reconnection concurrent with weakening plasma inflows and increasing collisionality in strongly-driven laser-plasma experiments

Abstract

An evolution of magnetic reconnection behavior, from fast jets to the slowing of reconnection and the establishment of a stable current sheet, has been observed in strongly-driven, β ≲ 20 laser-produced plasma experiments. This process has been inferred to occur alongside a slowing of plasma inflows carrying the oppositely-directed magnetic fields as well as the evolution of plasma conditions from collisionless to collisional. High-resolution proton radiography has revealed unprecedented detail of the forced interaction of magnetic fields and super-Alfvénic electron jets (Vjet~ 20VA) ejected from the reconnection region, indicating that two-fluid or collisionless magnetic reconnection occurs early in time. The absence of jets and the persistence of strong, stable magnetic fields at late times indicates that the reconnection process slows down, while plasma flows stagnate and plasma conditions evolve to a cooler, denser, more collisional state. These results demonstrate that powerful initial plasma flows are not sufficient to force a complete reconnection of magnetic fields, even in the strongly-driven regime.

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [1];  [3];  [1];  [1];  [1]
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. MIT (Massachusetts Inst. of Technology), Cambridge, MA (United States)
  2. Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
  3. University of Rochester, Rochester, NY (United States). Laboratory for Laser Energetics.
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States). Plasma Science and Fusion Center
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
OSTI Identifier:
1182197
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1182431
Grant/Contract Number:  
NA0001857; NA0002035; 415935-G; 5-24431
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Physical Review Letters
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 114; Journal Issue: 20; Journal ID: ISSN 0031-9007
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY

Citation Formats

Rosenberg, M.  J., Li, C.  K., Fox, W., Zylstra, A.  B., Stoeckl, C., Séguin, F.  H., Frenje, J.  A., and Petrasso, R. D. Slowing of magnetic reconnection concurrent with weakening plasma inflows and increasing collisionality in strongly-driven laser-plasma experiments. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.114.205004.
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Rosenberg, M.  J., Li, C.  K., Fox, W., Zylstra, A.  B., Stoeckl, C., Séguin, F.  H., Frenje, J.  A., & Petrasso, R. D. Slowing of magnetic reconnection concurrent with weakening plasma inflows and increasing collisionality in strongly-driven laser-plasma experiments. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.114.205004
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Rosenberg, M.  J., Li, C.  K., Fox, W., Zylstra, A.  B., Stoeckl, C., Séguin, F.  H., Frenje, J.  A., and Petrasso, R. D. Wed . "Slowing of magnetic reconnection concurrent with weakening plasma inflows and increasing collisionality in strongly-driven laser-plasma experiments". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.114.205004. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1182197.
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@article{osti_1182197,
title = {Slowing of magnetic reconnection concurrent with weakening plasma inflows and increasing collisionality in strongly-driven laser-plasma experiments},
author = {Rosenberg, M.  J. and Li, C.  K. and Fox, W. and Zylstra, A.  B. and Stoeckl, C. and Séguin, F.  H. and Frenje, J.  A. and Petrasso, R. D.},
abstractNote = {An evolution of magnetic reconnection behavior, from fast jets to the slowing of reconnection and the establishment of a stable current sheet, has been observed in strongly-driven, β ≲ 20 laser-produced plasma experiments. This process has been inferred to occur alongside a slowing of plasma inflows carrying the oppositely-directed magnetic fields as well as the evolution of plasma conditions from collisionless to collisional. High-resolution proton radiography has revealed unprecedented detail of the forced interaction of magnetic fields and super-Alfvénic electron jets (Vjet~ 20VA) ejected from the reconnection region, indicating that two-fluid or collisionless magnetic reconnection occurs early in time. The absence of jets and the persistence of strong, stable magnetic fields at late times indicates that the reconnection process slows down, while plasma flows stagnate and plasma conditions evolve to a cooler, denser, more collisional state. These results demonstrate that powerful initial plasma flows are not sufficient to force a complete reconnection of magnetic fields, even in the strongly-driven regime.},
doi = {10.1103/PhysRevLett.114.205004},
journal = {Physical Review Letters},
number = 20,
volume = 114,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed May 20 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Wed May 20 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}
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Journal Article:
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Publisher's Version of Record
https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.114.205004
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    Relativistic magnetic reconnection driven by a laser interacting with a micro-scale plasma slab
    journal, April 2018

    Particle acceleration in laser-driven magnetic reconnection
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    • Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 25, Issue 4
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    Anomalous plasma acceleration in colliding high-power laser-produced plasmas
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