HR: 1340h
AN: SM23A-0406    [Abstracts]
TI: Experiment to Model Magnetotail Reconnection With a Theta Pinch
AU: * Messer, S J
EM: sarah.messer@nrl.navy.mil
AF: NRC - NRL Postdoctoral Associate, Research Associate Programs Keck Center of the National Academies 500 Fifth St., NW, GR 322A, Washington, DC 20001 United States
AU: Amatucci, W E
EM: william.amatucci@nrl.navy.mil
AF: Division of Plasma Physics, Naval Research Laboratory, code 6755 4555 Overlook Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20375-5320 United States
AU: Rudakov, L
SM23A-0406 AF: Icarus Research, Inc., P.O.Box 30780, Bethesda, MD 20824-0780 United States
AU: Blackwell, D D
SM23A-0406 AF: Division of Plasma Physics, Naval Research Laboratory, code 6755 4555 Overlook Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20375-5320 United States
AU: Walker, D N
SM23A-0406 AF: Division of Plasma Physics, Naval Research Laboratory, code 6755 4555 Overlook Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20375-5320 United States
AB: Dimensionless parameters in the Earth's magnetotail are comparable to those in a collisionless theta-pinch experiment in the the Naval Research Laboratory's Space Plasma Simulation Chamber. An argon plasma with density of about 10¹⁰ cm^-3 is created in a 200 Gauss DC magnetic field. A 60 Gauss, 17 �s-period pulse generates an inward-propagating field-reversed wavefront. The magnetic energy raises the plasma density to order 10¹² cm^-3 and collisionless reconnection ensues. The plasma is measured on scale lengths below the ion skin depth and comparable to the ion Larmor radii. An array of magnetic probes monitors the field structure from the propagating wave. We present both single-shot and statistical data and compare these to Hall MHD and anomalous-resistivity models. Work Supported by ONR and NASA.
DE: 0654 Plasmas
DE: 2723 Magnetic reconnection (7526, 7835)
DE: 7831 Laboratory studies and experimental techniques
DE: 7835 Magnetic reconnection (2723, 7526)
SC: SPA-Magnetospheric Physics [SM]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005