Physics – Plasma Physics
Scientific paper
Oct 2001
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2001aps..dppgp1068h&link_type=abstract
American Physical Society, 43rd Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Plasma Physics October 29 - November 2, 2001 Long Beach, C
Physics
Plasma Physics
Scientific paper
Magnetic helicity injection is invoked as a mechanism for tokamak current drive as well as spheromak sustainment; it is also increasingly recognized as a useful concept in solar, space, and astrophysical plasmas. However, the details of helicity injection are not well understood. We have designed and constructed a simple experiment in order to study helicity injection as a basic plasma physics process, using multi-frame digital photography, electrostatic and magnetic probes, soft X-ray detectors, and both passive and active (LIF) spectroscopy to diagnose the merging of discrete twisted flux tubes into an axisymmetric plasma configuration. Discharge parameters can be adjusted so that different plasma configurations are formed, including (i) attached plasmas with a stable central column, (ii) marginally detached plasmas with a kinked central column, and (iii) detached spheromak plasmas. Configuration (i) is being considered as an analog to astrophysical jets associated with accretion disks. Configuration (ii), likely a current-driven kink instability, offers an opportunity to study a beautiful nonlinear instability in detail and the possible role it plays in energy and helicity flow. And finally, configuration (iii) will be studied in order to answer questions both about gun efficiency and helicity injection micro-physics, e.g. how modes overlap so that energy and helicity can penetrate from open field lines into the time-averaged closed field configuration of the spheromak.
Bellan Paul M.
Hsu Scott C.
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