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Study of electron exhaust jet and current-driven instabilities in kinetic magnetic reconnection using laser-powered capacitor coils

ORAL

Abstract

Magnetic reconnection is a ubiquitous phenomenon in space and astrophysical plasmas that rapidly releases magnetic energy. Plasma kinetic instabilities often play an important role in the required dissipation. We conducted kilojoule laser-powered kinetic reconnection experiments with capacitor-coils [1-3] to study electron outflow jets using collective Thomson scattering. Thomson scattering shows the existence of electron-acoustic waves (EAW) with phase velocity near the electron thermal speed, which suggests a non-Maxwellian distribution overcoming Landau damping. We also observed bursty and asymmetric ion-acoustic waves (IAW), confirming the existence of the electron jet and the current-driven ion-acoustic instabilities (IAI). The amplitude of both EAW and IAW exhibits correlated bursts with a frequency that matches the lower-hybrid frequency. Specially designed local Particle-In-Cell simulation shows that the current-driven IAI can form a double layer and induce electron two-stream instability generating EAW that are consistent with the measurements. Our experiments and simulations demonstrate that the electron outflow jet is unstable and can dissipate energy through electron-ion coupling. The combination of collective Thomson scattering and the laser-powered experiments opened up a new avenue to study kinetic physics in reconnection. 

 

[1] L. Gao et al., Ultrafast proton radiography of the magnetic fields generated by a laser-driven coil current. Physics of Plasmas, 23(4):043106, 2016. 

[2] A. Chien et al., Study of a magnetically driven reconnection platform using ultrafast proton radiography. Physics of Plasmas, 26:062113, 2019. 

[3] A. Chien et al., Direct measurement of non-thermal electron acceleration from magnetically driven reconnection in a laboratory plasma, submitted.

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Presenters

  • Shu Zhang

    Princeton University

Authors

  • Shu Zhang

    Princeton University

  • Abraham Chien

    Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory

  • Hantao Ji

    Princeton University

  • Lan Gao

    Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, PPPL, Princeton University

  • Kenneth Hill

    Princeton University, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory

  • Eric Blackman

    Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Rochester

  • Russell K Follett

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester, University of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics - Rochester, University of Rochester Departments of Mechanical Engineering, Physics, and Computer Science, Laboratory for Laser Energetics

  • Dustin H Froula

    University of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester, Lab for Laser Energetics, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester

  • Joe D Katz

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester

  • William S Daughton

    Los Alamos Natl Lab, Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Chikang Li

    Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT, MIT

  • Andrew Birkel

    MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT, PSFC, MIT

  • Richard Petrasso

    Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT, MIT

  • John D Moody

    Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab, LLNL, Lawrence Livermore National Lab

  • Hui Chen

    Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, LLNL