The penetration of plasma clouds across magnetic boundaries: The role of high frequency oscillations

Abstract

Experiments are reported where a collision-free plasma cloud penetrates a magnetic barrier by self-polarization. Two closely related effects, both fundamental for the penetration mechanism, are studied quantitatively: anomalous fast magnetic field penetration (two orders of magnitude faster than classical), and anomalous fast electron transport (three orders of magnitude faster than classical and two orders of magnitude faster than Bohm diffusion). It is concluded that they are both mediated by highly nonlinear oscillations in the lower hybrid range, driven by a strong diamagnetic current loop which is set up in the plasma in the penetration process.