The Theory of Magnetic Reconnection Onset: Three Dimensional and Diamagnetic Effects

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This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).The proposed research will examine the role of three-dimensional and diamagnetic effects on the onset of magnetic reconnection in weakly collisional plasmas. Reconnection is a fundamental plasma process that converts magnetic energy into particle and flow energy in sawtooth crashes in fusion devices, solar flares, and magnetospheric substorms, making it important for topics ranging from sustainable energy to space weather. While much has been learned, fundamental questions remain unanswered, such as why reconnection often begins explosively. The objective of this proposal is to develop a quantitative understanding of three-dimensional and diamagnetic effects on reconnection onset. The two parts to this project interweave large-scale two-fluid simulations, comparisons with laboratory data, and development of analytical theory. The condition for reconnection onset in three-dimensions is studied using simulations and comparisons with VTF data under collaboration with Prof. J. Egedal of MIT. Diamagnetic effects are studied using simulations and analytic theory. Predictions for the sawtooth crash will be made and compared to DIII-D tokamak data. The proposed activity promotes training and learning through the funding of two graduate students, which will help to establish a faculty-run research group dedicated to theory and simulations of space and laboratory plasmas in the Department of Physics at West Virginia University. The outreach portion will produce materials for the WVU Tomchin Planetarium for use in presentations to the general public and school groups for outreach and recruiting.This proposal was submitted to the NSF-DoE Partnership in Plasma Science and Engineering joint solicitation 08-589. This award is being funded jointly by the Division of Physics of the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate and by Atmospheric Sciences Division of the Geosciences Directorate