Physics of non-neutral plasmas confined on magnetic surfaces

限制在磁性表面上的非中性等离子体的物理学

• 批准号: 0613662
• 负责人: Thomas Pedersen
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Columbia University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2006-08-15 至 2010-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0613662&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Physics; non; neutral; plasmas; confined

The confinement of non-neutral plasmas by magnetic surfaces, such as those of a tokamak or a stellarator, is a new area of plasma research. The theory of such plasmas, which range from single component to quasi-neutral, has had a rapid development during the first three years of this project. A goal of the research is to use the strong electric fields of an electron rich plasma in a stellarator to confine the first laboratory electron-positron plasmas. The primary focus of the theory program has been on pure electron plasmas, in particular the properties of low density electron plasma equilibria. During the present award period, the theory of pure electron plasmas will be extended to partly neutralized plasmas. These plasmas have properties that are unlike either pure electron or quasi-neutral plasmas. Qualitatively new physics remains to be discovered. The theory program is closely associated with the Columbia Non-neutral Torus (CNT) experiment; theoretical results have already had a major impact on the design and the interpretation of CNT experiments. The interaction between CNT and theory is intensifying as both programs mature. These theories are also now being tested on two devices in Japan.In addition to graduate student participation, the program already involves substantial participation by undergraduate students as well as high school students, and will continue to do so in the future. Women students and students from historically underrepresented minorities have participated in this research, and the investigators will continue to actively recruit among groups underrepresented in science.

非中性等离子体被磁性表面(如托卡马克或星光器)限制是等离子体研究的一个新领域。这类等离子体的理论，从单一组分到准中性，在这个项目的头三年里得到了迅速的发展。这项研究的一个目标是利用星光仪中富电子等离子体的强大电场来限制第一个实验室中的电子-正电子等离子体。理论程序的主要焦点一直是纯电子等离子体，特别是低密度电子等离子体平衡的性质。在目前的获奖期间，纯电子等离子体理论将扩展到部分中和的等离子体。这些等离子体具有不同于纯电子或准中性等离子体的性质。从本质上讲，新的物理学仍有待发现。该理论计划与哥伦比亚非中性环(CNT)实验密切相关；理论结果已经对CNT实验的设计和解释产生了重大影响。随着两个项目的成熟，CNT和理论之间的互动正在加强。这些理论现在还在日本的两个设备上进行测试。除了研究生的参与，该项目已经有大量的本科生和高中生参与，并将在未来继续这样做。女学生和来自历史上代表性不足的少数民族的学生参与了这项研究，调查人员将继续在科学界代表性不足的群体中积极招聘。