Nonmetal-to-metal transition in dense fluid helium

The nonmetal-to-metal transition in dense fluid helium is discussed, which has been, in analogy to metallization of hydrogen, predicted as first-order plasma phase transition using chemical models for the equation of state and plasma composition. However, recent ab initio simulations performed for dense fluid helium indicate that this transition is continuous in the considered regime, without a density jump and latent heat as characteristic of a first-order phase transition. Implications for some astrophysical plasmas are discussed.     

Flow properties of a dusty-gas point source in a supersonic free stream

By using Lagrangian method, the flow properties of a dusty-gas point source in a supersonic free stream were studied and the particle parameters in the near-symmetry-axis region were obtained . It is demonstrated that fairly inertial particles travel along oscillating and intersecting trajectories between the bow and termination shock waves . In this region, formation of " mufti- layer structure" in panicle distribution with alternating low- and high density layers is revealed. Moreover, sharp accumulation of particles occurs near the envelopes of particle trajectories .     

Head-on collision of normal shock waves in dusty gases

The head-on collision of normal shock waves in dusty gases has been investigated numerically, using the modified random-choice method. The results concerning the various flow field properties as well as the waves configuration were compared with those of a pure gas case.     

Analysis of electron energy distribution function in a magnetically filtered complex plasma

The electron energy distribution function (EEDF) for a magnetically filtered dusty plasma is studied in a dusty double plasma device where the electron energy can be varied from 0.15 eV to ～ 2.8 eV and plasma density from 10 6 cm-3 to 10 9cm-3 . The characteristics of EEDF for these ranges of plasma parameters are investigated in a pristine plasma as well as in a dusty plasma. The results show that in the presence of dust, there is a drastic modification in EEDF patterns in a plasma with higher electron temperature and density than those in a low temperature and low density plasma produced by the magnetic filter.     

Orbital relaxation effects on temperature diagnostics of mid-Z plasmas

The orbital relaxation effect was studied in the calculations and diagnostics of the L-shell absorption spectra (2p→3d,4d,5d) of iron and bromine plasmas. A detailed level accounting model was developed to calculate the huge number of L-shell absorption lines of the two typical mid-Z plasmas. The orbital sets were generated by the optimizations according to the initial and final states, respectively. It was found that the L-shell line positions agree with the experimental iron and bromine spectra better when the orbital relaxations were included in calculations. Since experimental mid-Z spectra have few detailed line structures, calculations without considering orbital relaxations may misinterpret the spectra and consequently lead to underestimations of the plasma temperatures.     

Z箍缩等离子体X射线凸晶谱仪

 针对波长为0.3~0.5 nm的喷气箍缩等离子体X射线诊断,研制了一种适用的高空间分辨的晶体谱仪。色散元件采用云母（002）凸面晶体,布拉格角为37°,信号采用X射线胶片进行接收,有效接收面积为30 mm×80 mm。物理实验在“阳”加速器装置上进行,胶片获得了氩喷气K,L壳层光谱信号,其光谱范围较宽,为0.31~0.40 nm。经解谱发现,类氦谱线有明显的基底,用最小二乘法拟合包络曲线去噪处理后,得到类氦谱线光谱分辨力为200~300。实验结果表明,该谱仪获得的X射线测量值与理论值相符,适合喷气箍缩等离子体X射线光谱的诊断。     

A note on the growth of velocities in a collisionless plasma

We consider the initial value problem for the classical Vlasov–Poisson system with smooth compactly supported initial data. In the electrostatic case, we show that the size of the velocity support of the distribution function grows at most like t^2/7+bfε for any ε> 0 . Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The global version of the gyrokinetic turbulence code GENE

The understanding and prediction of transport due to plasma microturbulence is a key open problem in modern plasma physics, and a grand challenge for fusion energy research. Ab initio simulations of such small-scale, low-frequency turbulence are to be based on the gyrokinetic equations, a set of nonlinear integro-differential equations in reduced (five-dimensional) phase space. In the present paper, the extension of the well-established and widely used gyrokinetic code GENE [F. Jenko, W. Dorland, M. Kotschenreuther, B.N. Rogers, Electron temperature gradient driven turbulence, Phys. Plasmas 7 (2000) 1904–1910] from a radially local to a radially global (nonlocal) version is described. The necessary modifications of both the basic equations and the employed numerical methods are detailed, including, e.g., the change from spectral methods to finite difference and interpolation techniques in the radial direction and the implementation of sources and sinks. In addition, code verification studies and benchmarks are presented.