Interrelationship between Lab, Space, Astrophysical, Magnetic Fusion, and Inertial Fusion Plasma Experiments

Mark Koepke

doi:10.3390/atoms7010035

Abstract

The objectives of this review are to articulate geospace, heliospheric, and astrophysical plasma physics issues that are addressable by laboratory experiments, to convey the wide range of laboratory experiments involved in this interdisciplinary alliance, and to illustrate how lab experiments on the centimeter or meter scale can develop, through the intermediary of a computer simulation, physically credible scaling of physical processes taking place in a distant part of the universe over enormous length scales. The space physics motivation of laboratory investigations and the scaling of laboratory plasma parameters to space plasma conditions, having expanded to magnetic fusion and inertial fusion experiments, are discussed. Examples demonstrating how laboratory experiments develop physical insight, validate or invalidate theoretical models, discover unexpected behavior, and establish observational signatures for the space community are presented. The various device configurations found in space-related laboratory investigations are outlined.

Highlights

Many advances in understanding geospace, heliospheric, and astrophysical plasma phenomena are linked to insight derived from theoretical modeling and/or laboratory plasma experiments [1,2,3]
Establishing the observational signatures of broad, thin, reconnecting neutral sheets, of the dynamics and topology of magnetic field-line reconnection, and of the effects of high-β was emphasized as an important influence of laboratory experiments to interpreting space and astrophysical data
In reviewing laboratory investigating of the physics of space plasmas, Howes [3] highlights key open questions and lab–space physics successes enumerated in solar corona, solar wind, planetary magnetospheres, and outer boundary of the heliosphere

Summary

Introduction

Many advances in understanding geospace, heliospheric, and astrophysical plasma phenomena are linked to insight derived from theoretical modeling and/or laboratory plasma experiments [1,2,3]. Boundary conditions, and configuration geometry academic and government research laboratories. The In major plasma domains of the configuration geometry affect and space and lab plasma and processes. Cases, the major plasma with domains associated with shock front interface,shock and coherent radiationparticle-beam boundaries are examples of the source, plasma jet direction, front interface, andand coherent radiationand particle-beam boundaries are gradient,of and factors.and. Of regimes emphasizes their unbiased priority assignment in discovery science

Geospace–Lab Interrelationship

Heliosphere–Lab Interrelationship

Astrophysics–Lab Interrelationship

The experiment was modelled with

Findings

Conclusions