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Plasmoid ejection and secondary current sheet generation from magnetic reconnection in laser-plasma interaction

Date

2012-05-25

Authors

Dong, Quan-Li, author
Wang, Shou-Jun, author
Lu, Quan-Ming, author
Huang, Can, author
Yuan, Da-Wei, author
Liu, Xun, author
Lin, Xiao-Xuan, author
Li, Yu-Tong, author
Wei, Hui-Gang, author
Zhong, Jia-Yong, author

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Abstract

Reconnection of the self-generated magnetic fields in laser-plasma interaction was first investigated experimentally by Nilson et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 255001 (2006)] by shining two laser pulses a distance apart on a solid target layer. An elongated current sheet (CS) was observed in the plasma between the two laser spots. In order to more closely model magnetotail reconnection, here two side-by-side thin target layers, instead of a single one, are used. It is found that at one end of the elongated CS a fanlike electron outflow region including three well-collimated electron jets appears. The (>1 MeV) tail of the jet energy distribution exhibits a power-law scaling. The enhanced electron acceleration is attributed to the intense inductive electric field in the narrow electron dominated reconnection region, as well as additional acceleration as they are trapped inside the rapidly moving plasmoid formed in and ejected from the CS. The ejection also induces a secondary CS.

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Subject

electric fields
collimation
laser plasma interactions
lasers
thin films
elongation
plasma interactions
electron acceleration
electric power distribution
energy distribution

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