Integrated Approach to Reconnection: State-of-the-Art Kinetic Simulations of MRX Experiments

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Magnetic reconnection is a ubiquitous phenomenon in magnetized plasma that is thought to play a key role in the dynamics of many systems in nature under a wide range of plasma conditions. Examples of such systems are the Earth's magnetosphere, solar corona, laboratory fusion experiments, etc. Significant progress in understanding of magnetic reconnection has been made, but many important basic questions remain open. The aim of this project is to execute an extensive simulation program designed to significantly advance the state of knowledge on reconnection by working in parallel with Magnetic Reconnection eXperiment (MRX), one of leading experimental facilities dedicated to studies of magnetic reconnection. This work targets the following scientific question of great significance: What is the influence of microscopic turbulence originating from instabilities of thin reconnection layers on the dynamics of magnetic reconnection in various parameter regimes? A unique aspect of this collaboration is a close coordination of simulation and experimental efforts, where experiments are used to verify and challenge theoretical analysis, while simulations help interpret and guide experimental campaigns. The work utilizes state-of-the art simulation technologies and makes use of a variety of modern petascale computers.We expect that this work will have broad implications for the studies of reconnection. The results will be presented at scientific meetings and published in the appropriate scientific literature. The simulation data will be made widely available to the community. This research is based on our ongoing collaboration with MRX team at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. An important element of this work is participation of graduate and undergraduate students from Princeton University in all aspects of the research. Access to simulation data and theoretical expertise provides the students with fundamentally new ways of analyzing their measurements and greatly enhances their expertise. In addition, the students have opportunities to participate in summer internship programs at SciberQuest and at Los Alamos National Laboratory, where they have a chance to get hands on experience with modern simulation techniques.