[Table of Contents]

Plasma and Fusion Research

Volume 8, 2401148 (2013)

Regular Articles

Plasmoid-Induced Pull Reconnection Experiments in University of Tokyo Spherical Tokamak
Takenori G WATANABE, Yasushi ONO, Takuma YAMADA1), Shuji KAMIO2), Qinghong CAO3), Hirotomo ITAGAKI, Koichiro TAKEMURA, Kotaro YAMASAKI3), Koji ISHIGUCHI4) and Michiaki INOMOTO
Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa 277-8561, Japan
1)
Faculty of Arts and Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
2)
National Institute for Fusion Science, 322-6 Oroshi-cho, Toki 509-5292, Japan
3)
Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo 113-8656, Japan
4)
The Open University of Japan, Mihama 261-8586, Japan
(Received 7 December 2012 / Accepted 26 July 2013 / Published 15 November 2013)

Abstract

Magnetic energy injection through pull magnetic reconnection has been studied in the University of Tokyo Spherical Tokamak (UTST) using external poloidal field coils. Under constant plasma inflow, the magnetic energy of the produced ST increases as the guide field Bt is increased from zero to the optimized value Bt0, while it decreases after Bt exceeds Bt0. The pull reconnection process was often accompanied by the formation of plasmoids around the X-point. The reconnection rate was found to change with time, depending on the formation of plasmoids and the magnetic energy injection. Plamoids enhance the reconnection rate.

Keywords

magnetic reconnection, helicity injection, plasmoid, current sheet, spherical tokamak, toroidal magnetic field

DOI: 10.1585/pfr.8.2401148

Full Text

PDF format (375Kbytes) PDF Download

References

  • [1] T.G. Watanabe et al., Plasma Fusion Res. 6, 1202131 (2011).
  • [2] R. Samtaney et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 105004 (2009).
  • [3] K. Shibata and S. Tanuma, Earth, Planets and Space 53, 473 (2001).
  • [4] T. Yamada et al., Plasma Fusion Res. 5, S2100 (2010).
  • [5] R. Imazawa et al., IEEJ Trans. FM 130, 4 (2010).
  • [6] R. Raman et.al., Phys. Plasmas 18, 092504 (2011).
  • [7] A.J. Redd et.al., Phys. Plasmas 15, 092504 (2011).
  • [8] Y. Ono, A. Morita, M. Katsurai and M. Yamada, Phys. Fluids B 5, 3691 (1993).
  • [9] M. Yamada, Phys. Plasmas 14, 058102 (2007).

This paper may be cited as follows:

Takenori G WATANABE, Yasushi ONO, Takuma YAMADA, Shuji KAMIO, Qinghong CAO, Hirotomo ITAGAKI, Koichiro TAKEMURA, Kotaro YAMASAKI, Koji ISHIGUCHI and Michiaki INOMOTO, Plasma Fusion Res. 8, 2401148 (2013).