Rotating magnetic field to emulate a pulsar magnetosphere in BRB

We are building a dipolar rotating magnetic field (RMF) system with the intention to emulate the magnetosphere of an obliquely rotating pulsar and demonstrate production of an outgoing plasma wind at the Wisconsin Plasma Physics Laboratory (WiPPL). The driver consists of an orthogonal pair of Helmholtz-like RMF drive coils resonated at ~6 kHz and two tube-based amplifiers for generation of sine and cosine coil currents of amplitude 30 kA-turns. The coils will be placed at atmospheric pressure in an alumina-coated fiberglass pressure vessel at the center of BRB. A power of 150 kW per channel will be fed to the drive coils from transmission lines running through a support pedestal coaxial with BRB. Fuel gas will be puffed from outlets at the BRB equatorial plane, and the RMF will ionize the gas. The experimental hardware is in development. Coupling transformers are partially done. Transmission line hardware is finalized and assembly is pending. Winding the RMF coils is in process. Vacuum tests qualified the vessel to be used in BRB. The pressure vessel is currently being painted with alumina to protect the fiberglass surface. Our next major step is to test the RMF drivers at full power prior to going into BRB. Future steps include implementing the gas puff system and initial plasma tests.