Basic Plasma Science Facility Renewal

加州大学洛杉矶分校的基本等离子体科学设施（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。 地球沉浸在等离子体环境中，等离子体以太阳风的形式从我们的太阳流出，并拦截地球的磁层;等离子体过程有助于产生带电粒子，这些粒子填充货车艾伦辐射带，并导致北极光等现象。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磁约束等离子体通过核聚变产生能量。 因此，在实验室中研究基本的等离子体过程对于进一步了解宇宙和在等离子体的陆地应用中取得重要进展至关重要。 BaPSF为这些研究提供了一个独特的尖端平台。 美国国家科学基金会沿着能源部聚变能源科学办公室提供资金，支持BaPSF的运行，供美国各地的研究人员使用。 用户可以申请使用该设备进行实验;如果获得批准，研究人员可以免费使用该设备进行实验，并将其研究结果发表在同行评审的期刊上。BaPSF的核心是大型等离子体设备，该设备使用阴极放电等离子体源产生20米长，直径约60厘米的磁化等离子体。 典型的等离子体参数是电子密度为每立方厘米10^12，电子温度为5 eV，磁场强度为0.04特斯拉至0.2特斯拉。 该设施的用户最近进行的研究包括：激光吹离产生的无碰撞冲击;电子束驱动的啁啾哨声波;阿尔芬波的非线性参数不稳定性;电流片、通量绳和磁重联;以及惯性阿尔芬波对电子的加速。 在当前的授予期内，将对等离子体源进行升级，使用六硼化镧阴极产生更高密度和温度的等离子体，其电子密度为每立方厘米10^13，电子温度约为12 eV，离子温度约为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.