Basic Plasma Science Facility Renewal

加州大学洛杉矶分校的基础等离子体科学设施（BaPSF）是一个研究电离气体或等离子体的国家用户设施。等离子体遍布我们的宇宙，几乎所有可见的物质，如恒星，都处于等离子体状态。地球处于等离子体环境中，等离子体以太阳风的形式从太阳流出，拦截了地球的磁层；等离子体过程有助于产生充满范艾伦辐射带的带电粒子，也导致了北极光等现象。此外，等离子体还有许多重要的地面应用，包括半导体芯片的加工和通过核聚变产生能量的磁约束等离子体。因此，在实验室中研究等离子体的基本过程对于进一步了解宇宙和在等离子体的地面应用方面取得重要进展至关重要。BaPSF为这些研究提供了一个独特的前沿平台。美国国家科学基金会（National Science Foundation）和能源部聚变能源科学办公室（doe Office of Fusion Energy Sciences）为BaPSF的运作提供资金支持，供全美各地的研究人员使用。用户在设施上申请实验时间；如果获得批准，研究人员将在同行评审的期刊上发表他们的研究结果，这段实验时间是免费的。BaPSF的核心是大型等离子体装置，该装置使用阴极放电等离子体源产生20米长，~60cm直径的磁化等离子体。典型的等离子体参数是电子密度为10^12 /立方厘米，电子温度为5 eV，磁场强度为0.04 ~ 0.2 Tesla。该设施的用户最近的研究包括对激光吹散产生的无碰撞冲击的研究；电子束驱动的啁啾哨声波；Alfven波的非线性参数不稳定性；电流片、磁通绳和磁重联；以及惯性阿尔芬波对电子的加速。在当前的合同期内，将对等离子体源进行升级，使用六硼化镧阴极产生密度和温度更高的等离子体，电子密度为10^13 /立方厘米，电子温度为~12 eV，离子温度为~6 eV。

The Basic Plasma Science Facility (BaPSF) at UCLA is a national user facility for the study of ionized gases, or plasmas. Plasmas pervade our universe with almost all visible matter, such as stars, in the plasma state. Earth is immersed in a plasma environment, with plasma flowing from our sun in the form of the solar wind and intercepting the Earth's magnetosphere; plasma processes help generate the charged particles that populate the Van Allen radiation belts and also lead to phenomena such as the Aurora Borealis. In addition, there are many important terrestrial applications for plasmas, including processing of semiconductor chips and magnetically-confined plasmas for producing energy by nuclear fusion. Studying fundamental plasma processes in the laboratory is therefore essential to further our understanding of the cosmos and enable important advances in terrestrial applications of plasmas. The BaPSF provides a unique and cutting-edge platform for these studies. The National Science Foundation, along with the Department of Energy Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, provides funding to support the operation of the BaPSF for the use of researchers across the United States. Users apply for experimental time on the facility; if approved, this experimental time is free of charge to researchers who will publish the results of their research in peer-reviewed journals.The core of the BaPSF is the Large Plasma Device which produces 20 meter long, ~60cm diameter magnetized plasmas using cathode discharge plasma sources. Typical plasma parameters are electron density of 10^12 per cubic cm, electron temperature of 5 eV and magnetic field strength from 0.04 Tesla to 0.2 Tesla. Recent research by users of the facility has included studies of collisionless shocks generated by laser-blowoff; electron-beam-driven chirping whistler waves; nonlinear parametric instability of Alfven waves; current sheets, flux ropes and magnetic reconnection; and acceleration of electrons by inertial Alfven waves. An upgrade of the plasma source will be undertaken in the current award period, using a Lanthanum Hexaboride cathode to produce much higher density and temperature plasmas with electron densities of 10^13 per cubic cm, electron temperatures of ~12 eV, and ion temperatures of ~6 eV.