实验室天体物理的验证特例:W43A磁喷流

利用神光II号八路激光与平面Al靶相互作用产生双等离子体喷流.利用阿尔芬-欧拉磁流体动力学标度变换理论产生的喷流与天体环境下形成的W43A喷流进行比较.发现在实验室中直接测量的喷流物理量经过变换后,与天文观测数据极其相似,同时提出重联电场对喷流的形成与准直存在直接的影响.     

短脉冲强激光驱动磁重联过程的靶后电势分布特征

超短超强激光因其极端的物理参数范围以及可用于研究相对论等离子体等特征,成为当前激光驱动磁重联物理的研究热点.通常采用两路激光与平面靶相互作用实现激光驱动磁重联,然而在实验诊断中,由于激光等离子体自身的复杂性导致很难辨别磁重联的物理特征.本文对两路短脉冲激光驱动平面靶磁重联进行了数值模拟,重点分析了靶后电势分布特征和磁重联之间的关系.模拟结果显示,靶后电势分布可以直接影响被加速离子在探测面上的空间分布,因此可用来直接诊断短脉冲激光驱动磁重联实验.     

基于Z箍缩装置的实验室天体物理研究

大型高功率脉冲装置广泛应用于高能量密度物理的实验室中,随着诊断技术和流体力学模拟技术水平的提高,基于此类装置,实验室天体物理方向取得一些新的重要进展,文章主要介绍帝国理工大学Z箍缩结构的MAGPIE脉冲功率装置上开展的关于磁重联和喷流的实验进展,在磁重联实验中,发现重联电流片中电子温度和离子温度远高于入流等离子体的温度,必然有其他效应导致电子和离子的异常高温;喷流实验中观察到弓形激波和锥形激波的产生。最后对Z箍缩装置实验室天体物理学的未来发展做一些展望。     

太阳爆发日珥内双向喷流事件的紫外光谱研究（英文）

太阳双向喷流事件是过渡区重要的小尺度现象之一。双向喷流事件的光谱特征是强的展宽和非高斯形状。当双向喷流事件发生时,光谱像的红、蓝两翼分别或者同时明显增强,其相应的多普勒速度可达100 km·s~(-1)以上。双向喷流事件的平均尺度约1 800 km,寿命约60 s。双向喷流事件出现在磁对消区附近,且其速度与当地的阿尔芬速度相当,普遍认为其产生机制为小尺度快速磁重联。对其系统、全面地研究始于SOHO时代。SOHO/SUMER具有高时空和谱分辨率、宽的谱线覆盖,其观测的光谱数据为探究双向喷流事件提供了有力的光谱学诊断工具。双向喷流事件及其他过渡区小尺度现象的相互联系已被广泛研究,但双向喷流事件与日珥及其精细结构的关系研究还很少。文章通过SOHO/SUMER的SiⅢ谱线的定点观测,再现了爆发日珥演化的强度、多普勒速度和宽度演化图。通过SiⅢ谱线分析,找出宽度大于三个标准偏差的SiⅢ谱线,然后进行视像筛选出双向喷流事件,最终在爆发日珥中诊断出多个双向喷流事件,且大多数的双向喷流事件以准周期20 min重复出现在爆发日珥的中心区域。通过讨论,认为日珥中心磁流管之间的磁重联导致了双向喷流事件的重复出现,双向喷流事件产生的高速等离子体流可能是日面物质抛射的一部分,或是跟随日面物质抛射的太阳风的一部分。     

太阳爆发日珥内双向喷流事件的紫外光谱研究

太阳双向喷流事件是过渡区重要的小尺度现象之一。双向喷流事件的光谱特征是强的展宽和非高斯形状。当双向喷流事件发生时,光谱像的红、蓝两翼分别或者同时明显增强,其相应的多普勒速度可达100 km·s-1以上。双向喷流事件的平均尺度约1 800 km, 寿命约60 s。双向喷流事件出现在磁对消区附近,且其速度与当地的阿尔芬速度相当,普遍认为其产生机制为小尺度快速磁重联。对其系统、全面地研究始于SOHO时代。SOHO/SUMER具有高时空和谱分辨率、宽的谱线覆盖,其观测的光谱数据为探究双向喷流事件提供了有力的光谱学诊断工具。双向喷流事件及其他过渡区小尺度现象的相互联系已被广泛研究,但双向喷流事件与日珥及其精细结构的关系研究还很少。文章通过SOHO/SUMER的Si Ⅲ谱线的定点观测,再现了爆发日珥演化的强度﹑多普勒速度和宽度演化图。通过Si Ⅲ谱线分析,找出宽度大于三个标准偏差的Si Ⅲ谱线,然后进行视像筛选出双向喷流事件,最终在爆发日珥中诊断出多个双向喷流事件,且大多数的双向喷流事件以准周期20 min重复出现在爆发日珥的中心区域。通过讨论,认为日珥中心磁流管之间的磁重联导致了双向喷流事件的重复出现,双向喷流事件产生的高速等离子体流可能是日面物质抛射的一部分,或是跟随日面物质抛射的太阳风的一部分。     

垂直磁重联平面的驱动流对磁岛链影响的模拟

近20年来,大量的磁岛链现象从空间、天体物理到磁约束实验室等离子体中被观察到,并且有关磁岛链现象的许多物理特性可以直接被计算机模拟结果所证实.磁岛链理论在磁重联理论中的重要进展为快速磁重联的发生机制提供了更加具有说服力的解释.本文采用二维三分量的磁流体力学模型,数值研究了不同宽度和不同强度的垂直平面驱动流对磁重联中磁岛链不稳定性的影响,并分析了导向场和垂直平面的驱动流对磁岛链的共同作用.研究结果表明:垂直平面驱动流的宽度越宽或强度越强,越容易产生磁岛链结构.电流片中的小磁岛个数及重联率随着垂直平面驱动流宽度及强度的增加而增加.另外,导向场会改变重联平面内磁岛链的对称性.相同导向场情况下,驱动流强度越大,小磁岛的增长速度越快.     

磁场对激光驱动的喷流演化影响的二维数值研究

喷流的触发机制、准直传输和稳定性一直是天体物理学的研究热点.近年通过观测和实验室研究发现磁场在喷流准直传输和加速中起着关键作用.本文利用开源的辐射磁流体模拟程序FLASH对强激光驱动聚苯乙烯(CH)平面靶产生的靶前喷流进行了二维的数值模拟,系统地考察和比较了Biermann自生磁场以及不同方向、不同初始强度的外加磁场对喷流演化的动力学.模拟结果表明Biermann自生磁场不会影响喷流的界面动力学,而外加磁场对等离子体出流具有重定向作用,平行于靶前等离子体出流中心流向的外加磁场有助于喷流的产生和准直传输.其形成和演化过程是等离子体热压、磁压以及冲压三者相互竞争的结果.在受力方面,在喷流演化过程中等离子体热压梯度力和磁压力起决定性作用.研究结果为后续开展和喷流相关的实验研究提供借鉴,也有助于加深对天体喷流演化的理解.     

强激光实验室天体物理研究进展

高功率激光器技术的发展使得人们可以在实验室中创造出与天体环境类似的极端物理条件,这为科学家提供了针对某些重要天体物理过程进行实验室研究的可能性,由此催生了一个新的物理学前沿领域——实验室天体物理学。文章将简单介绍该领域中几个热点问题的新进展,包括实验室和天体流体过程的定标关系、无碰撞冲击波、磁重联、喷流、超强磁场的产生等,最后对实验室天体物理学的发展方向作了展望。     

双等离子体团相互作用的磁流体力学模拟

利用商用磁流体力学模拟程序USIM对双等离子体团相互作用过程进行了数值模拟,分别考察和比较了双对流等离子体团在外加磁场和无外加磁场情况下,相互作用的物理过程.发现在外加磁场情况下等离子体团相互作用会伴随着磁重联(反向磁场)、磁排斥(同向磁场)以及一些不稳定过程.针对激光产生等离子体团错位相互作用实验,进行了标度模拟,发现外加磁场起着重要作用,进一步表明激光等离子体的磁化特征.研究结果为下一步在神光Ⅱ激光装置进行强磁环境下等离子体实验提供理论指导.     

双撕裂模非线性演化过程中有理面上的剪切流

在二维平板几何模型下,利用磁流体力学方程组数值模拟托卡马克装置中双撕裂模非线性演化过程中有理面上剪切流的时间和空间分布.结果表明,双撕裂模非线性演化的早期阶段,有理面上没有形成明显的剪切流.剪切流主要存在于快速磁重联阶段,随着磁重联的结束而逐渐消失,剪切流的强度和空间分布随磁岛的演化而改变.另外,较大的等离子体电阻加速磁重联,但是对剪切流的强度和变化趋势没有直接的影响.     

Effect of the magnetization parameter on electron acceleration during relativistic magnetic reconnection in ultra-intense laser-produced plasma

Relativistic magnetic reconnection (MR) driven by two ultra-intense lasers with different spot separation distances is simulated by a three-dimensional (3D) kinetic relativistic particle-in-cell (PIC) code. We find that changing the separation distance between two laser spots can lead to different magnetization parameters of the laser plasma environment. As the separation distance becomes larger, the magnetization parameter σ becomes smaller. The electrons are accelerated in these MR processes and their energy spectra can be fitted with double power-law spectra whose index will increase with increasing separation distance. Moreover, the collisionless shocks' contribution to energetic electrons is close to the magnetic reconnection contribution with σ decreasing, which results in a steeper electron energy spectrum. Basing on the 3D outflow momentum configuration, the energetic electron spectra are recounted and their spectrum index is close to 1 in these three cases because the magnetization parameter σ is very high in the 3D outflow area.     

Z箍缩等离子体磁重联现象

分析了磁重联对晕等离子体加速和能量平衡过程的影响。分析表明晕等离子体向轴心的加速过程分为两个阶段:第一阶段晕等离子体在磁压或热压(依赖于丝数)作用下向轴心运动;第二阶段晕等离子体由于磁重联过程被加速到阿尔芬速度,并到达轴心形成先驱等离子体。估算表明重联层的厚度与离子的惯性长度具有相同的数量级,电流片内电子运动和离子的运动是解耦合的。在内爆滞止阶段电荷分离产生强的径向电场,这个电场将磁能转化为等离子体轴向(z方向)动能,内爆动能和轴向动能共同转化为X射线辐射能,以此解释了X射线能量大于内爆动能这一观测结果。分析了磁重联电磁脉冲的性质,对于1 MA驱动条件,电磁脉冲的总能量可达kJ量级。     

Magnetic reconnection and plasma dynamics in two-beam laser-solid interactions

We present measurements of a magnetic reconnection in a plasma created by two laser beams (1 ns pulse duration, 1 x 10(15) W cm(-2)) focused in close proximity on a planar solid target. Simultaneous optical probing and proton grid deflectometry reveal two high velocity, collimated outflowing jets and 0.7-1.3 MG magnetic fields at the focal spot edges. Thomson scattering measurements from the reconnection layer are consistent with high electron temperatures in this region.     

Plasma jet braking: energy dissipation and nonadiabatic electrons

We report in situ observations by the Cluster spacecraft of wave-particle interactions in a magnetic flux pileup region created by a magnetic reconnection outflow jet in Earth's magnetotail. Two distinct regions of wave activity are identified: lower-hybrid drift waves at the front edge and whistler-mode waves inside the pileup region. The whistler-mode waves are locally generated by the electron temperature anisotropy, and provide evidence for ongoing betatron energization caused by magnetic flux pileup. The whistler-mode waves cause fast pitch-angle scattering of electrons and isotropization of the electron distribution, thus making the flow braking process nonadiabatic. The waves strongly affect the electron dynamics and thus play an important role in the energy conversion chain during plasma jet braking.     

Observational Aspects of Magnetic Reconnection at the Earth’s Magnetosphere

Magnetic field reconnection has shown to be the dominant process in the solar wind-Earth’s magnetosphere interaction. It enables mass, momentum, and energy exchange between different plasma regimes, and it is regarded as an efficient plasma acceleration and heating mechanism. Reconnection has been observed to occur in laboratory plasmas, at planetary magnetospheres in our Solar System, and the Sun. In this work, we focus on analyzing the characteristics of magnetic reconnection at the Earth’s magnetosphere according to spaceborne observations in the vicinity of our planet. Firstly, the locations where magnetic field reconnection are expected to occur within the vast magnetospheric region are addressed, and is shown how they are influenced by changes in the interplanetary magnetic field direction. The main magnetic field and plasma signatures of magnetic reconnection are discussed from both theoretical and observational points of view. Spacecraft observations of ion inertial length scale reconnection are also presented.     

Driven reconnection about a magnetic X-line with strong guide component

A two-dimensional, two-fluid model is used to investigate driven magnetic reconnection in collisionless or semicollisional plasmas. The reconnection is driven by externally induced plasma flows in a background magnetic configuration that has a hyperbolic null component in the reconnection plane and a strong component, the so-called guide component, perpendicular to that plane. A dynamic solution is obtained in which the reconnection proceeds in two phases: an initial one whose characteristic rate is a fraction of the Alfvén frequency, and a later one whose rate is determined by the electron collision frequency.     

Magnetic field annihilation and reconnection driven by femtosecond lasers in inhomogeneous plasma

The process of fast magnetic reconnection driven by intense ultra-short laser pulses in underdense plasma is investigated by particle-in-cell simulations. In the wakefield of such laser pulses, quasi-static magnetic fields at a few mega-Gauss are generated due to nonvanishing cross product ▽(n/) × p. Excited in an inhomogeneous plasma of decreasing density, the quasi-static magnetic field structure is shown to drift quickly both in lateral and longitudinal directions. When two parallel-propagating laser pulses with close focal spot separation are used, such field drifts can develop into magnetic reconnection(annihilation) in their overlapping region, resulting in the conversion of magnetic energy to kinetic energy of particles. The reconnection rate is found to be much higher than the value obtained in the Hall magnetic reconnection model. Our work proposes a potential way to study magnetic reconnection-related physics with short-pulse lasers of terawatt peak power only.     

Photoinduced drift of electrons in thin magnetic films

The results are presented of experimental studies of variations in the polarization of light reflected from multilayer thin metal films containing nonmagnetic Bi or Ti films and a TbFe magnetic film magnetized in the direction perpendicular to the film plane. An additional optical rotation of light reflected from bismuth and titanium films was observed upon their irradiation by intense nanosecond pulses from a semiconductor laser. This optical rotation is attributed to the photoinduced drift of electrons with polarized spins from the magnetic TbFe film.