PIC Simulations of particle energization during magnetic reconnection of laser produced plasma bubbles

POSTER

Abstract

We perform and analyze particle-in-cell simulations of colliding laser-produced plasma bubbles. These end-to-end simulations model generation and heating of the bubbles, which by means of the Biermann battery effect self-consistently generate magnetic fields. The anti-parallel fields then collide and reconnect. Previous 2-D simulations in the reconnection plane demonstrate the formation of an energized electron population during reconnection [W. Fox, PoP 24, 092901 (2017)]. Here we expand the calculations to the full 3-D evolution of colliding plasmas to determine the conditions required in this more complete system to accelerate particles. We also investigate the effect of a pre-heated electron population on particle energization. Simulations are performed using the GPU-enabled PSC particle-in-cell code on ORNL's Summit supercomputer.

Authors

  • Kai Germaschewski

    Univ of New Hampshire, University of New Hampshire

  • John Donaghy

    Univ of New Hampshire

  • W Fox

    Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, PPPL

  • D.B. Schaeffer

    Princeton University, Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA, Princeton, University of California, Los Angeles, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Dept. of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, Princeton University, Princeton Center for Heliophysics

  • Amitava Bhattacharjee

    Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton University/PPPL

  • Jack Matteucci

    Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University

  • Gennady Fiksel

    University of Michigan, Center for Ultrafast Optical Science, U. Michigan, Univ of Michigan - Ann Arbor