PPPL-5018


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<b>Laboratory Study Of Magnetic Reconnection With A Density Asymmetry Across The Current Sheet    </b>
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<b>Authors:</b>  Jongsoo Yoo, et. al.
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<p><b>Abstract:</b> The effects of an upstream density asymmetry on magnetic reconnection are studied systematically in a laboratory plasma. Despite a significant upstream density asymmetry of up to 10,
the reconnecting magnetic field profile is not significantly changed. On the other hand, the out-of-plane magnetic field profile is considerably modified; it is almost bipolar in structure with the
density asymmetry, as compared to the quadrupolar structure in the symmetric configuration.
The in-plane ion flow pattern and the electrostatic potential profile are also affected by the density
asymmetry. Strong bulk electron heating is observed near the low-density-side separatrix together
with electromagnetic fluctuations in the lower hybrid frequency range. The dependence of the ion
outflow and reconnection electric field on the density asymmetry is measured and compared with
theoretical expectations.
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<b> Published in:</b> Physical Review Letters 113, 095002 (28 August 2014)

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<p>DOI: <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.095002">10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.095002</a><br>
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