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

重新连接的综合方法：MRX 实验的最先进的动力学模拟

• 批准号: 1202018
• 负责人: Vadim Roytershteyn
• 金额: $ 16.5万
• 依托单位: SciberQuest
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-09-01 至 2015-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1202018&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Integrated; Approach; Reconnection; State; Art

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.

磁重联是磁化等离子体中普遍存在的现象，被认为在自然界中许多系统的动力学中起着关键作用。这些系统的例子是地球的磁层，太阳日冕，实验室聚变实验等重大进展，在理解磁重联已经取得，但许多重要的基本问题仍然悬而未决。该项目的目的是执行一个广泛的模拟程序，旨在通过与磁重联实验（MRX）并行工作，显着推进重联知识的状态，磁重联实验是致力于磁重联研究的领先实验设施之一。这项工作的目标是以下具有重要意义的科学问题：什么是微观湍流起源于薄重联层的不稳定性的影响，在各种参数制度的磁重联的动力学？这种合作的一个独特方面是模拟和实验工作的密切协调，实验用于验证和挑战理论分析，而模拟有助于解释和指导实验活动。这项工作利用了最先进的模拟技术，并利用了各种现代petascale计算机。我们预计，这项工作将有广泛的影响，研究重联。研究结果将在科学会议上介绍，并在适当的科学文献中发表。模拟数据将广泛提供给社区。这项研究是基于我们与普林斯顿等离子体物理实验室的MRX团队正在进行的合作。这项工作的一个重要组成部分是普林斯顿大学的研究生和本科生参与研究的各个方面。获得模拟数据和理论专业知识为学生提供了分析测量结果的全新方法，并大大提高了他们的专业知识。此外，学生有机会参加SciberQuest和洛斯阿拉莫斯国家实验室的暑期实习计划，在那里他们有机会获得现代仿真技术的实践经验。