First experiments probing the collision of parallel magnetic fields using laser-produced plasmas

Novel experiments to study the strongly-driven collision of parallel magnetic fields in β ∼ 10, laser-produced plasmas have been conducted using monoenergetic proton radiography. These experiments were designed to probe the process of magnetic flux pileup, which has been identified in prior laser-pl...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physics of plasmas 2015-04, Vol.22 (4)
Main Authors: Rosenberg, M. J., Li, C. K., Fox, W., Igumenshchev, I., Séguin, F. H., Town, R. P. J., Frenje, J. A., Stoeckl, C., Glebov, V., Petrasso, R. D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
Collision dynamics
Compressive strength
Experiments
Field strength
Inflow
Lasers
Magnetic fields
Magnetic flux
Particle in cell technique
Plasma physics
Plasmas (physics)
Radiography
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Summary:Novel experiments to study the strongly-driven collision of parallel magnetic fields in β ∼ 10, laser-produced plasmas have been conducted using monoenergetic proton radiography. These experiments were designed to probe the process of magnetic flux pileup, which has been identified in prior laser-plasma experiments as a key physical mechanism in the reconnection of anti-parallel magnetic fields when the reconnection inflow is dominated by strong plasma flows. In the present experiments using colliding plasmas carrying parallel magnetic fields, the magnetic flux is found to be conserved and slightly compressed in the collision region. Two-dimensional (2D) particle-in-cell simulations predict a stronger flux compression and amplification of the magnetic field strength, and this discrepancy is attributed to the three-dimensional (3D) collision geometry. Future experiments may drive a stronger collision and further explore flux pileup in the context of the strongly-driven interaction of magnetic fields.
ISSN:1070-664X
1089-7674
DOI:10.1063/1.4917248