HR: 14:35h
AN: SH32B-04 INVITED     [PDF]
TI: Magnetic fluctuations and fine magnetic structure in MRX
AU: * Terry, S
EM: sterry@princeton.edu
AF: Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, PO Box 451, Princeton, NJ 08543-0451
AU: Ji, H
AF: Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, PO Box 451, Princeton, NJ 08543-0451
AU: Kulsrud, R
AF: Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, PO Box 451, Princeton, NJ 08543-0451
AU: Kuritsyn, A
AF: Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, PO Box 451, Princeton, NJ 08543-0451
AU: Ren, Y
AF: Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, PO Box 451, Princeton, NJ 08543-0451
AU: Stoltzfus-Dueck, T
AF: Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, PO Box 451, Princeton, NJ 08543-0451
AU: Yamada, M
AF: Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, PO Box 451, Princeton, NJ 08543-0451
AB: In the Magnetic Reconnection Experiment (MRX), reconnection has been observed to proceed at a rate much faster than the predictions of the Sweet-Parker model. The two leading explanations for this phenomenon are based on either two dimensional laminar structures due to Hall terms in the generalized Ohm's Law or enhanced resistivity perhaps caused by three dimensional turbulent wave particle interactions. In an attempt to explore these two possibilities, new diagnostics have been developed on MRX. A "Hodogram" probe, which measures all three components of the fluctuating magnetic field with high time resolution ($\approx 40\ \mathrm{MHz}$), and a fine structure probe with pickup coils spaced 1.25 mm apart have been constructed. The hodogram probe has measured electromagnetic fluctuations in the lower hybrid frequency range within the reconnecting current sheet (in contrast to previously detected electrostatic fluctuations which occur outside the current sheet). The fluctuation amplitude correlates with the enhanced resistivity and reconnection rate, and the fluctuations have been identified as obliquely propagating whistler waves. The fine structure probe has a spatial resolution which is less than the electron skin depth ($\approx 2-3\ \mathrm{mm}$). It has been installed, and is taking data. Details of the electromagnetic fluctuations and new measurements from the fine structure probe will be presented. MRX is jointly supported by DOE, NASA, and NSF.
DE: 7831 Laboratory studies
DE: 7835 Magnetic reconnection
SC: SPA - Solar and Heliospheric Physics [SH]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting