Center for Astrophysics Research and Technologies Seminar Series
An Experimental Investigation of Plasma Dynamics in Jets
Presented by Yue Zhang, UNM
Numerous astrophysical observations of jet-like plasma structures exhibit morphological similarities, suggesting that there may be common plasma physics at work in the formation and evolution processes of these structures at different system scales. The dimensionless properties of ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) theory provide the necessary theoretical basis for employing laboratory experiments to investigate key physical processes in nonlinear astrophysical systems, especially when magnetic fields are present. A coaxial magnetized plasma gun has been designed, installed, and operated in the HelCat (Helicon-Cathode) linear device at the University of New Mexico (UNM). The combination of various plasma structures generated by the coaxial gun and diverse main chamber conditions (vacuum, magnetic field, or background low density, low temperature magnetized plasma) provides a wide range of controllable experimental conditions to simulate the underlying physic processes of different astronomical systems. Details of the experiment setup, diagnostics, experimental results and theoretical analysis for plasma dynamics in jets will be discussed.
2:00 pm, Thursday, September 1, 2016
PAIS-2540, PAIS
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