Laboratory Dynamo Experiments
Abstract
The basic physics of a dynamo have been addressed utilizing magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations and liquid metal experiments to determine the requirements for the excitation, sustainment, and saturation of magnetic fields generated from turbulent flows. The more challenging problem of addressing plasma physics effects will require experiments with unmagnetized plasmas. An experimental facility utilizing cusp field confinement to produce a hot, steadystate unmagnetized plasma would provide the necessary conditions for studying effects beyond MHD (such as two-fluid and kinetic effects) in a turbulent dynamo.
- Publication:
-
2010 NASA Laboratory Astrophysics Workshop
- Pub Date:
- May 2011
- Bibcode:
- 2011nlaw.confC..47N