Physics of non-neutral plasmas confined on magnetic surfaces

磁表面对非中性等离子体的约束，如托卡马克或仿星器的磁表面，是等离子体研究的一个新领域。这种等离子体的理论范围从单组分到准中性，在这个项目的前三年有了快速的发展。该研究的一个目标是利用仿星器中富电子等离子体的强电场来限制第一个实验室电子-正电子等离子体。理论计划的主要焦点是纯电子等离子体，特别是低密度电子等离子体平衡的性质。在本奖励期内，纯电子等离子体理论将扩展到部分中和等离子体。这些等离子体具有不同于纯电子或准中性等离子体的特性。定性的新物理学有待发现。该理论程序与哥伦比亚非中性环面（CNT）实验密切相关；理论结果已经对碳纳米管实验的设计和解释产生了重大影响。碳纳米管和理论之间的相互作用随着两个程序的成熟而加强。这些理论目前也正在日本的两台设备上进行测试。除了研究生的参与外，该项目已经有本科生和高中生的大量参与，未来还将继续这样做。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，调查人员将继续积极招募科学界代表性不足的群体。

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.