Low beta confinement in a Polywell modelled with conventional point cusp theories

Matthew Carr, David Gummersall, Scott Cornish, and Joe Khachan

Analytical expressions are presented for the magnetic field in addition to expressions for the point and line cusps as a function of device parameters.

Phys. Plasmas 18, 112501 (2011)

Observational studies of reconnection in the solar corona

David E. McKenzie

Some recent findings about the empirical quantities are reviewed, including recent estimates of the flux transferred in individual patchy reconnection episodes, the size distribution of post-reconnection flux tubes, and the energy released by the flux tubes as they shrink. Part of the SPECIAL TOPIC: ADVANCES IN MAGNETIC RECONNECTION RESEARCH IN SPACE AND LABORATORY PLASMAS.

Phys. Plasmas 18, 111205 (2011)

Experimental demonstration of early time, hohlraum radiation symmetry tuning for indirect drive ignition experiments

E. L. Dewald, J. Milovich, C. Thomas, J. Kline, C. Sorce, S. Glenn, and O. L. Landen

Early time radiation symmetry for indirect drive ignition on the NIF will be tuned using re-emission spheres. The technique was validated on the Omega laser facility using 0.9 ignition-scale vacuum hohlraums at radiation temperatures similar to the first 2 ns of the ignition drive. Our simple analytical model is in good agreement with both measured P₂/P₀ and P₄/P₀ and their dependence on inner beam power fraction for reasonable assumptions made on the hohlraum albedo and inner vs outer beam couplings into x-rays.

Phys. Plasmas 18, 092703 (2011)

Effect of driving frequency on excitation of turbulence in a kinetic plasma

T. N. Parashar, S. Servidio, M. A. Shay, B. Breech, and W. H. Matthaeus

The effect of driving frequency on the efficiency of turbulence generation through magnetic forcing is studied using kinetic hybrid simulations with fully kinetic ions and fluid electrons. The efficiency of driving is quantified by examining the energy input into magnetic field as well as the thermal energy for various driving frequencies.

Phys. Plasmas 18, 092302 (2011)

Group velocity and pulse lengthening of mismatched laser pulses in plasma channels

C. B. Schroeder, C. Benedetti, E. Esarey, J. van Tilborg, and W. P. Leemans

Analytic solutions are presented to the non-paraxial wave equation describing an ultra-short, low-power, laser pulse propagating in a plasma channel. Implications for plasma channel diagnostics are discussed.

Phys. Plasmas 18, 083103 (2011)