Kiel 2011 – scientific programme
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P: Fachverband Plasmaphysik
P 16: Poster: Niedertemperaturplasmen
P 16.11: Poster
Wednesday, March 30, 2011, 16:30–18:30, Foyer
Experimental Device for Magnetic Reconnection Studies — •Hannes Bohlin1, Olaf Grulke1,2, and Thomas Klinger1,2 — 1MPI for Plasma Physics, EURATOM Association, Greifswald — 2Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University, Greifswald
Magnetic reconnection is the topological rearrangement of magnetic fields through the breaking and reconnection of magnetic field lines. It plays an important role in many space plasmas, such as solar flares, as well as in some laboratory processes. Though extensive theoretical and experimental research has been carried out on magnetic reconnection, the mechanism behind the process is still not fully understood.
A review of the planned upgrade to the linearly magnetised plasma device VINETA is presented. The current setup will be modified by adding a new module, whose larger dimensions will allow for the study of the plasma dynamics of driven magnetic reconnection. A guide field will be used to confine the plasma and the reconnection will be driven by passing a current through two parallel conductors placed inside the new module. Besides the standard Langmuir probes, the main diagnostics will consist of a B-dot probe array for reconstructing the magnetic field and Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF) for determining the ion energy distribution function near the X-point. The role of axial boundries is discussed in detail.