Study of a magnetically driven reconnection platform using ultrafast proton radiography

Abraham Chien; Lan Gao; Hantao Ji; Xiaoxia Yuan; Eric G. Blackman; Hui Chen; Philip C. Efthimion; Gennady Fiksel; Dustin H. Froula; Kenneth W. Hill; Kai Huang; Quanming Lu; John D. Moody; Philip M. Nilson

doi:10.1063/1.5095960

Study of a magnetically driven reconnection platform using ultrafast proton radiography

Abraham Chien, Lan Gao, Hantao Ji, Xiaoxia Yuan, Eric G. Blackman, Hui Chen, Philip C. Efthimion, Gennady Fiksel, Dustin H. Froula, Kenneth W. Hill, Kai Huang, Quanming Lu, John D. Moody, Philip M. Nilson

Astrophysical Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

18 Scopus citations

Abstract

A novel magnetically driven reconnection platform was created by a pair of U-shaped Cu coils that connect two parallel Cu plates irradiated at a focused laser intensity of ∼3 × 10¹⁶ W/cm² and characterized using ultrafast proton radiography. The proton data show two prolate voids, each corresponding to the coil current, with an inferred maximum magnitude of 57 ± 4 kA. A center "flasklike" feature was also observed in the proton radiographs. By prescribing electromagnetic fields associated with magnetic reconnection in proton ray tracing simulations, characteristics of this center feature were reproduced. These results demonstrate the robustness of the laser-driven capacitor coils for generating strong magnetic fields and provide promise of using such coils as a viable platform for studying magnetically driven reconnection in the laboratory.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	062113
Journal	Physics of Plasmas
Volume	26
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5095960
State	Published - Jun 1 2019

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Condensed Matter Physics

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10.1063/1.5095960

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title = "Study of a magnetically driven reconnection platform using ultrafast proton radiography",

abstract = "A novel magnetically driven reconnection platform was created by a pair of U-shaped Cu coils that connect two parallel Cu plates irradiated at a focused laser intensity of ∼3 × 1016 W/cm2 and characterized using ultrafast proton radiography. The proton data show two prolate voids, each corresponding to the coil current, with an inferred maximum magnitude of 57 ± 4 kA. A center {"}flasklike{"} feature was also observed in the proton radiographs. By prescribing electromagnetic fields associated with magnetic reconnection in proton ray tracing simulations, characteristics of this center feature were reproduced. These results demonstrate the robustness of the laser-driven capacitor coils for generating strong magnetic fields and provide promise of using such coils as a viable platform for studying magnetically driven reconnection in the laboratory.",

author = "Abraham Chien and Lan Gao and Hantao Ji and Xiaoxia Yuan and Blackman, {Eric G.} and Hui Chen and Efthimion, {Philip C.} and Gennady Fiksel and Froula, {Dustin H.} and Hill, {Kenneth W.} and Kai Huang and Quanming Lu and Moody, {John D.} and Nilson, {Philip M.}",

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doi = "10.1063/1.5095960",

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T1 - Study of a magnetically driven reconnection platform using ultrafast proton radiography

AU - Chien, Abraham

AU - Gao, Lan

AU - Ji, Hantao

AU - Yuan, Xiaoxia

AU - Blackman, Eric G.

AU - Chen, Hui

AU - Efthimion, Philip C.

AU - Fiksel, Gennady

AU - Froula, Dustin H.

AU - Hill, Kenneth W.

AU - Huang, Kai

AU - Lu, Quanming

AU - Moody, John D.

AU - Nilson, Philip M.

PY - 2019/6/1

Y1 - 2019/6/1

N2 - A novel magnetically driven reconnection platform was created by a pair of U-shaped Cu coils that connect two parallel Cu plates irradiated at a focused laser intensity of ∼3 × 1016 W/cm2 and characterized using ultrafast proton radiography. The proton data show two prolate voids, each corresponding to the coil current, with an inferred maximum magnitude of 57 ± 4 kA. A center "flasklike" feature was also observed in the proton radiographs. By prescribing electromagnetic fields associated with magnetic reconnection in proton ray tracing simulations, characteristics of this center feature were reproduced. These results demonstrate the robustness of the laser-driven capacitor coils for generating strong magnetic fields and provide promise of using such coils as a viable platform for studying magnetically driven reconnection in the laboratory.

AB - A novel magnetically driven reconnection platform was created by a pair of U-shaped Cu coils that connect two parallel Cu plates irradiated at a focused laser intensity of ∼3 × 1016 W/cm2 and characterized using ultrafast proton radiography. The proton data show two prolate voids, each corresponding to the coil current, with an inferred maximum magnitude of 57 ± 4 kA. A center "flasklike" feature was also observed in the proton radiographs. By prescribing electromagnetic fields associated with magnetic reconnection in proton ray tracing simulations, characteristics of this center feature were reproduced. These results demonstrate the robustness of the laser-driven capacitor coils for generating strong magnetic fields and provide promise of using such coils as a viable platform for studying magnetically driven reconnection in the laboratory.

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DO - 10.1063/1.5095960

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JF - Physics of Plasmas

IS - 6

M1 - 062113

ER -

Study of a magnetically driven reconnection platform using ultrafast proton radiography

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

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