Laser Induced Fluorescence Studies of Anomalous Ion Heating on the Encore Toroidal Plasma Facility (Physics)

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Preceding studies have shown that wave-induced anomalous ion heating is occuring in the Caltech Encore toroidal plasma facility. Wave-induced anomalous ion heating is not well understood and yet has applicability to plasmas in many domains, ranging from laboratory to astrophysical. The next experiment will use advanced plasma diagnostic techniques to determine the physical phenomena underlying this basic process. The special features of this approach are the following: (i) the plasma has a confined geometry free of end-walls, is highly reproducible over a large range of parameters, and has a unique high repetition rate; and (ii) an advanced diagnostic system (including Laser Induced Fluorescence) is now available with exceptional space and time resolution, full computer automation, and the ability to follow the evolution of particle and waves with the required detail. This program seeks to exploit this conjunction of technology and physics to obtain a fundamental understanding of how two basic aspects of plasmas -- particle and wave -- interact.