Laboratory experiment of magnetic reconnection under strong guide field to investigate generation process of energetic electrons

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26287143
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Plasma science
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: INOMOTO Michiaki 東京大学, 大学院新領域創成科学研究科, 准教授 (00324799)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 小野 靖 東京大学, 大学院新領域創成科学研究科, 教授 (30214191) ; 今田 晋亮 名古屋大学, 宇宙地球環境研究所, 講師 (40547965) ; 神尾 修治 核融合科学研究所, ヘリカル研究部, 助教 (80705525)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 宇宙・天体プラズマ / 磁気リコネクション / 粒子加速

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Electron acceleration during magnetic reconnection process under a strong guide field was experimentally investigated by using a variety of diagnostics in axial merging of two torus plasmas. Single sight-line soft X-ray measurement and small energy analyzer revealed that fast electrons with energy higher than 200 eV were generated during the guide field reconnection process. The acceleration region was identified by using the soft X-ray imaging system. The accelerated electrons formed a localized current filament to affect the global magnetic field profile. The acceleration mechanism and its contribution to reconnection process was successfully verified by using axisymmetric experimental configuration.

Free Research Field

プラズマ理工学