Mathematics – Logic
Scientific paper
May 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010aas...21620902y&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #216, #209.02; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 41, p.865
Mathematics
Logic
Scientific paper
Magnetic reconnection, a topological rearrangement of magnetic field lines, is one of the key self-organization processes in laboratory and astrophysical plasmas. This talk presents the fundamental physics of magnetic reconnection reviewing the recent significant progress in laboratory experiments. Sawtooth relaxation in a tokamak plasma, which represents a repetitive change of the electron temperature profile, provides a good example of magnetic reconnection. During the relaxation phase of the sawtooth, a rapid flattening of the electron temperature profile occurs and the pitch of field lines changes suddenly as the field lines break and rearrange themselves to form a new topological profile. In the reversed field pinch (RFP) and spheromak plasmas, a sudden re-arrangement of field lines in an inner flux surface can trigger another rearrangement in the outer flux surfaces, leading to a global magnetic relaxation event. Magnetic reconnection physics has been investigated in a variety of laboratory experiments dedicated for reconnection research. These laboratory experiments have made important contributions to recent advances in our understanding of magnetic reconnection. Significant findings are as follows: 1) The reconnection dynamics are determined both by local and global conditions, 2) The profiles of the reconnection layer and reconnection rate change drastically as the plasma's collisionality is reduced, 3) Two-fluid dynamics have been verified through experimental identification of both the ion and electron diffusion layers, 4) Electrostatic and electromagnetic fluctuations and their spatial profiles were measured in the reconnection layer of both laboratory and space plasmas with notable similarities, and 5) The reconnection rate increases significantly when the ratio of the electron mean free path to the scale length approaches unity. A new scaling of reconnection resistivity with respect to this ratio has been obtained from the laboratory results. The impact of this recently advanced understanding on research on space-terrestrial plasmas will be discussed.
No associations
LandOfFree
Laboratory Experiments on Magnetic Reconnection does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Laboratory Experiments on Magnetic Reconnection, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Laboratory Experiments on Magnetic Reconnection will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1889632