Cylindrical Magnetic Reconnection Plane in Laser-Plasma Experiment

A self-magnetized annular plasma collided on its interior with a second self-magnetized plasma bubble, demonstrating magnetic reconnection in the radial direction with rotational symmetry. The reconnecting magnetic fields were measured, and significant density jumps were observed at the collision interface. The experiment was conducted at the OMEGA-EP laser facility, where the colliding plasma flows were driven by UV laser beams of 5x10^13 W/cm^2, and the density and magnetic fields were probed by angular filter refractometry and target-normal-sheat-accelerated-proton radiography, respectively. Results from MHD simulations of the experiment will also be discussed. The results of this experiment given its unique geometry has implications for our understanding of magnetic reconnection in high energy density plasmas.