Experimental Studies on the High-beta Equilibrium and Stability of Rapidly Flowing Plasma Produced in Toroidal Non-neutral Plasma Trap

我们研究了流动等离子体中的自组织机制，以探索空间和天文系统中产生的结构的多样性，并检验了高β平衡对先进聚变概念的适用性。1.理论研究结果我们发展了一些分析流动等离子体平衡和稳定性的创新方法。与传统的静止(非流动)等离子体理论不同，流动等离子体的分析可能不会引用众所周知的光谱分解或能量原理方法。通过分析非正则哈密顿形式的拓扑奇性，我们成功地用Casimir不变量(螺旋度)刻画了流场耦合的基本垂直结构。相应的变分原理产生了一个李亚普诺夫函数，它的矫顽力保证了变分原理的极小值--“Beltrami场”的稳定性。该理论已被应用于解释…太阳日冕的结构不稳定性，木星磁层的高β平衡，以及Proto-RT和RT-1装置中的新型流动平衡。2.实验研究的结果我们证明了在Proto-RT装置中形成了稳定的超音速(马赫数和5)旋转等离子体。Proto-RT设备可以将非中性(纯电子)等离子体限制在“磁层状”的配置中。非中性等离子体通过其自身电场产生流动(旋转)平衡。通过在准中性等离子体中施加内电场，我们可以得到类似流动的等离子体。我们已经建立了对非中性和流动等离子体的统一认识：(1)我们证明了非中性等离子体在磁面构型中的稳定约束；(2)通过施加径向电场，我们证明了稳定的超音速流动等离子体的自组织；(3)我们证明了快速流动效应产生了一个新的平衡分支；(4)我们开发了构建磁球状等离子体约束装置的新技术。较少

We have studied the self-organization mechanism in flowing plasmas to explore the diversity of structures created in space and astronomical systems, and also examined the applicability of the high-beta equilibrium for advanced-fusion concept.1.Results of Theoretical StudiesWe have developed some innovative methods for the analysis of equilibria and stability of flowing plasmas. Unlike the conventional theories of stationary (non-flowing) plasmas, the analysis of flowing plasmas may not invoke the well-known methods of spectral decomposition or energy principle. Analyzing the topological singularities of the non-canonical Hamiltonian formalisms, we have succeeded to characterize the basic vertical structures of flow-field coupling in terms of Casimir invariants (helicities). The corresponding variational principle yields a Lyapunov function, whose coercivity warrants the stability of the "Beltrami fields", the minimizer of the variational principle. The theory has been applied to explai … More n the structural instabilities in solar corona, high-beta equilibria in Jupiter's magnetosphere, as well as new-type of flowing equilibria in Proto-RT and RT-1 devices.2.Results of Experimental StudiesWe have demonstrated stable formation of super-sonic (Mach number > 5) rotating plasma in the Proto-RT Device. The Proto-RT device can confine a non-neutral (pure electron) plasma in a "magnetosphere-like" configuration. A non-neutral plasma produces a flowing (spinning) equilibrium by its self-electric field. By applying an internal electric field in a quasi-neutral plasma, we can achieve a similar flowing plasma. We have established a unified understanding of non-neutral and flowing plasmas : (1)We have demonstrated stable confinement of non-neutral plasma in a magnetic-surface configuration,; (2)By applying a radial electric field, we have demonstrated the self-organization of stable super-sonic flowing plasma ; (3)We have demonstrated the production of a new branch of equilibrium by the effect of fast flow ; (4)We have developed new technologies to construct magnetosphere-like plasma confinement device. Less