Observation of self-organized FRC formation in a collisional-merging experiment. (16th August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Asai, Tomohiko; Kobayashi, Daichi; Seki, Taichi; Tamura, Yasuaki; Watanabe, Tatsuhiro; Sahara, Naoto; Takahashi, Tsutomu; Morelli, Jordan; Gota, Hiroshi; Roche, Thomas; Magee, Richard; Binderbauer, Michl; Tajima, Toshiki; Inomoto, Michiaki; Takahashi, Toshiki
• Is Part Of: Nuclear fusion. Volume 61:Number 9(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-08-16
• Subjects: field-reversed configuration -- collisional merging -- self-organization; Nuclear fusion -- Periodicals; 621.48405
• DOI: 10.1088/1741-4326/ac189c
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0029-5515

Abstract

Abstract: Self-organized field-reversed configuration (FRC)-like formation was observed after the super-sonic/Alfvénic collisional merging of two FRCs in the FAT-CM device at Nihon University. In this experiment, two FRCs were generated initially in two separate field-reversed theta-pinch type formation regions. Those two formation regions are coaxially connected to opposite ends of a cylindrical confinement chamber. The formed FRCs are oppositely-translated and collide in the middle of the confinement chamber at super-sonic/Alfvénic velocity. During the collision, the merged plasmoid experiences destructive disturbance and loses its fast toroidal flow and characteristic FRC property of having a field-reversed magnetic configuration to become a magnetized plasma without ordered structure. After this dynamic collision, a magnetic configuration of FRC with fast toroidal rotation is self-organized within a few tens of microseconds. This observation indicates robustness of the extremely high-beta, simple magnetic configuration.