Nonlinear Dynamics of Strong Interchange Instabilities in a Rotating Dipole Plasma

该奖项是为了响应提交给NSF/DoE基础等离子体科学与工程合作伙伴关系NSF 08-589联合招标的提案。该奖项提供资金，以部分支持研究生参与整体研究工作，这是由能源部单独资助[赠款DE-FG 02 - 00 ER 54585 OFES]。强交换不稳定性的非线性动力学涉及在各种自然和人工情况下发生的基本现象。在这项工作中，实验室技术将被用来产生强烈的交换不稳定性，诱导强交换对流，并维持稳定的交换湍流。 调查的重点是测量，修改和理解强交换湍流。以前的工作已经发现，交换湍流是由大规模的旋转结构，并可能，这些结构代表了一个“自组织”的状态。 有了这个奖项，剩下的问题，关于结构耦合和运输的精确性质将得到解决，改进的诊断，额外的探头，并使用我们新的并行非线性交换代码先进的模拟。 详细的实验测量、计算机模拟和计算机数据分析的结合将测试发展中的理论，并为理解实验室产生的和自然界中发现的等离子体中发生的各种非线性过程提供基础。无碰撞Terrella实验（CTX）研究项目将实验室等离子体物理、自然等离子体现象、非线性物理和计算物理联系起来。CTX在哥伦比亚大学研究生和本科生的教育机会中发挥着核心和重要的作用。本科生研究实习生组装CTX设备，这个项目将继续是一个以学生为中心的研究计划。该项目吸引了优秀的研究生和本科生，并为有才华的高中生提供了实践研究经验。该NSF奖项为参与该研究项目的研究生研究助理提供支持。

This award is made in response to a proposal submitted to and reviewed under the NSF/DoE Partnership in Basic Plasma Science and Engineering joint solicitation NSF 08-589. The award provides funds to partially support the graduate student participation in the overall research effort, which is being funded separately by the DoE [Grant DE-FG02-00ER54585OFES]. The nonlinear dynamics of strong interchange instabilities concern fundamental phenomenon occurring in a variety of natural and artificial situations. In this work, laboratory techniques will be used to produce intense interchange instabilities, induce strong interchange convection, and sustain steady interchange turbulence. The investigations focus on measurement, modification, and understanding of strong interchange turbulence. Previous work has found that interchange turbulence is dominated by large-scale rotating structures, and, probably, these structures represent a "self-organized" state. With this award, remaining questions concerning the precise nature of structure coupling and transport will be addressed with improved diagnostics, additional probes, and advanced simulations using our newly parallelized nonlinear interchange code. The combination of detailed experimental measurements, computer simulation, and computer data analysis will test developing theory and provide a basis for understanding a variety of nonlinear processes which occur in plasmas produced in the laboratory and found in nature.The Collisionless Terrella Experiment (CTX) research project creates connections between laboratory plasma physics, natural plasma phenomena, nonlinear physics, and computational physics. CTX serves a central and important role in the educational opportunities for Columbia University graduate and undergraduate students. Undergraduate student research interns assembled the CTX device, and this project will continue to be a student-focused research program. This project attracts outstanding graduate and undergraduate students and has provided hands-on research experience to talented high school students.This NSF award provides support for the Graduate Research Assistant involved with this research project.