Compact toroids generated by a magnetized coaxial source in the CTX experiment

Compact toroids (CT) containing both toroidal and poloidal magnetic field (Spheromak-type) were generated using a magnetized coaxial plasma gun. These CTs tear loose from the gun by magnetic field line reconnection, and they are trapped in flux conservers having various geometries. In a straight cylindrical flux conserver the CTs are observed to be unstable to a gross tilting mode. Stability to the tilting mode was demonstrated in flux conservers having an oblate trapping region; however, the geometry of the entrance region leading to the trapping volume can also have important effects. Lifetimes of about 150 microsec. for the CTs are typically observed. The use of a snipper coil is observed to speed up the magnetic field reconnection process by about a factor of two.