Extended magnetohydrodynamic simulations of plasma jets and bubbles

The Plasma Bubble expansion EXperiment (PBEX) studies the dynamics of coaxial gun formed plasmas, namely plasma “jets” and “bubbles”, as they propagate and expand into a lower density, weakly magnetized background plasma. This study focuses on modelling previous and ongoing experimental observations using the extended magnetohydrodynamic (XMHD) simulation code PERSEUS, in which the Hall term is included in the generalized Ohm’s law (GOL). The simulations mimic the geometry and parameters of the PBEX at the University of New Mexico in which the Hall Term is expected to play a significant role due to the ion inertial length being comparable to the length scales of interest of the experiment. By including the Hall in the GOL, we can capture the effects of additional physical phenomena such as the anode-cathode asymmetry. One key aspect of our investigation is to determine the relative importance of the Hall term in the generalized Ohm's law. By comparing our XMHD simulation results with ideal and resistive magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations, we can assess the significance of the Hall term and its impact on magnetic field diffusion. Overall our simulations contribute to the understanding of plasma behavior in the PBEX experiment and provide insights into the role of the Hall term, advancing the understanding of the complex dynamics exhibited by magnetized plasmas.