Overview of Wisconsin Plasma Physics Laboratory research

The Wisconsin Plasma Physics Laboratory (WiPPL) is a multi-device collaborative research facility supporting experiments in basic, astrophysical, and fusion plasma science. WiPPL is a founding member of the MagNetUS experimental plasma network, and outside collaborator run time is allocated via MagNetUS proposal review. We present an overview of WiPPL capabilities, recent and ongoing projects, and key WiPPL-led results. In the BRB device, collisionless reconnection is examined with unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution, and a drive system upgrade is expected to reach well into the kinetic regime. New capabilities will include a planar spheromak injector to mimic a galactic jet and a rotating magnetic dipole to emulate a pulsar wind. In the MST device, tokamak plasmas are produced for a variety of studies: the structure and dynamics of runaway electron generation in disruptions, whistler-range wave correlation with runaway electrons, and the self-organization of low-q tokamaks. RFP plasmas in MST are used for studies of plasma self-organization, with programmable power supplies expanding the Lundquist-number overlap with nonlinear MHD simulations. MST's high-temperature plasmas and high availability make it a useful source for the development of advanced x-ray diagnostics.