Features of generation and propagation of the extremely low frequency waves excited in the ionosphere under the powerful HF radioemission influence

The experimental results of the extremely low frequency emission characteristics excited in the outer ionosphere under the ionospheric plasma heating by high-latitude EISCAT facility are presented. The experiments have been conducted in the period of 20062010 yr. using two main schemes of extremely low frequency generation including the impact of the heating facility amplitude modulated emission and two unmodulated pump waves with the frequency detuning. In-situ measurements of the plasma wave disturbances were performed at the outer ionosphere heights using on-board equipment of DEMETER microsatellite. In work the spatial, amplitude and spectral characteristics of the generated extremely low frequency emissions are determined. It is shown that the characteristic size of the extremely low frequency emission is about 400600 km along the trajectory of the DEMETER microsatellite. The registration area spatial position is determined by both the applied generation scheme and the background plasma density distribution. The extremely low frequency emission electric field strength at the Earths outer ionosphere heights is 50330 V/m.

Simulating the impact of charge exchange on beam ions in MAST-U

A model for simulating charge exchange (CX) of fast ions with background atoms in magnetically confined fusion plasmas has been implemented in the ASCOT orbit-following code. The model was verified by comparing simulated reaction mean free paths to analytical values across a range of fusion-relevant parameters. ASCOT was used to simulate beam ions slowing down in the presence of CX reactions in a MAST-U target scenario. ASCOT predicts the CX-induced loss of beam power to be 22%, which agrees to within 15% with the TRANSP prediction. Because of CX, plasma heating and current drive by beam ions are strongly reduced towards the edge. However, an overall lower but noticeable increase of up to 20% in current drive is predicted closer to the core. The simulated deposition of fast CX atoms on the wall is concentrated around the outer midplane, with estimated peak power loads of 70–80 kWm-2 on the central poloidal field coils (P5) and the vacuum vessel wall between them. This analysis demonstrates that ASCOT can be used to simulate fast ions in fusion plasmas where CX reactions play a significant role, e.g., in spherical tokamaks and stellarators.

Evidence for Plasma Heating at Thin Current Sheets in the Solar Wind

Plasma heating at thin current sheets in the solar wind is examined using magnetic field and plasma data obtained by the WIND spacecraft in the past 17 years from 2004 to 2019. In this study, a thin current sheet is defined by an abrupt rotation (larger than 45°) of the magnetic field direction in 3 s. A total of 57,814 current sheets have been identified, among which 25,018 current sheets are located in the slow wind and 19,842 current sheets are located in the fast wind. Significant plasma heating is found at current sheets in both slow and fast wind. Proton temperature increases more significantly at current sheets in the fast wind than in the slow wind, while the enhancement in electron temperature is less remarkable at current sheets in the fast wind. The results reveal that plasma heating commonly exists at thin current sheets in the solar wind regardless of the wind speed, but the underlying heating mechanisms might be different.

Observational Signatures of Tearing Instability in the Current Sheet of a Solar Flare

Magnetic reconnection is a fundamental physical process converting magnetic energy into not only plasma energy but also particle energy in various astrophysical phenomena. In this Letter, we show a unique data set of a solar flare where various plasmoids were formed by a continually stretched current sheet. Extreme ultraviolet images captured reconnection inflows, outflows, and particularly the recurring plasma blobs (plasmoids). X-ray images reveal nonthermal emission sources at the lower end of the current sheet, presumably as large plasmoids with a sufficiently amount of energetic electrons trapped in them. In the radio domain, an upward, slowly drifting pulsation structure, followed by a rare pair of oppositely drifting structures, was observed. These structures are supposed to map the evolution of the primary and the secondary plasmoids formed in the current sheet. Our results on plasmoids at different locations and scales shed important light on the dynamics, plasma heating, particle acceleration, and transport processes in the turbulent current sheet and provide observational evidence for the cascading magnetic reconnection process.

Characterization of the palladium plasma produced by nanosecond pulsed 532 nm and 1064 nm wavelength lasers

Palladium plasma produced by nanosecond pulsed 532 nm and 1064 nm wavelengths lasers is studied with the help of planer Langmuir probe. The experiment is conducted over a wide range of the laser fluence (1.6–40 J cm−2). The measured time of flight ions distributions are used to infer total charge, kinetic energy of the palladium ions and plasma parameters. Our results indicate that the ion charge produced by both laser wavelengths is an increasing function of the laser fluence. Initially, the ion charge produced by 1064 nm is lower than 532 nm, but it increases at much faster rate with the rise of laser fluence as the inverse bremsstrahlung plasma heating prevails at higher plasma densities. The most probable kinetic energy of the Pd ions produced by 1064 nm wavelength is also lower than that of 532 nm. The time varying plasma electron temperature and electron density are derived from the current–voltage plots of the two plasmas. For both wavelengths, the electron temperature and electron density rapidly climb to a maximum value and then gradually decline with time. However, in case of the 532 nm, the electron temperature and electron density remain consistently high throughout the laser plasma. The results are compared the available literature and discussed by considering surface reflectivity, ablation rate of the Pd target and laser plasma heating. The results presented in this work will provide more insight into the process of laser ablation and can be useful for the development of laser-plasma ion sources.

Electron Bernstein wave aided heating of collisional nanocluster plasma by nonlinear interactions of two super-Gaussian laser beams

In this present theoretical study, we investigate electron Bernstein wave (EBW) aided collisional nanocluster plasma heating by nonlinear interaction of two super-Gaussian laser beams. The interactions of laser beams electric field profiles with electronic clouds of nanoclusters cause the beat wave. The nonlinear ponderomotive force is generated through the beat wave. There may be good potential to excite the EBW aiding cluster plasma to lead electron heating via cyclotron damping of the Bernstein wave. An analytical scheme is proposed for the anomalous heating and evolution of electron temperature by using this mechanism. Graphical discussions were promised to achieve extreme heating rate via the spatial shape of super-Gaussian laser beams and the resonance condition of beat wave to surface plasmon frequency. The heating is controlled by tuning the laser beam width, mode index, collisional frequency, clustered radius, and density.

Nonlinear excitation of a geodesic acoustic mode by reversed shear Alfvén eignemodes

The parametric decay process of a reversed shear Alfv\'{e}n eigenmeode (RSAE) into a geodesic acoustic mode (GAM) and a kinetic reversed shear Alfv\'{e}n eigenmode (KRSAE) is investigated using nonlinear gyrokinetic theory. The excitation conditions mainly require the pump RSAE amplitude to exceed a certain threshold, which could be readily satisfied in burning plasmas operated in steady-state advanced scenario. This decay process can contribute to thermal plasma heating and confinement improvement.

Formation of a Charged Layer in a Bounded Non-Uniform Magnetized Plasma in RF Field

A model of plasma dynamics in the box of an ICRF (ion cyclotron radio-frequency) antenna without Faraday shield used for the plasma heating in tokamaks is proposed. Formation of a macroscopic layer of oscillating charge that plays a role of a shield is predicted. Relation to phenomena observed in a scrape-off layer plasma is discussed.

Microwave Assisted Biodiesel Production Using Heterogeneous Catalysts

As a promising renewable fuel, biodiesel has gained worldwide attention to replace fossil-derived mineral diesel due to the threats concerning the depletion of fossil reserves and ecological constraints. Biodiesel production via transesterification involves using homogeneous, heterogeneous and enzymatic catalysts to speed up the reaction. The usage of heterogeneous catalysts over homogeneous catalysts are considered more advantageous and cost-effective. Therefore, several heterogeneous catalysts have been developed from variable sources to make the overall production process economical. After achieving optimum performance of these catalysts and chemical processes, the research has been directed in other perspectives, such as the application of non-conventional methods such as microwave, ultrasonic, plasma heating etc, aiming to enhance the efficiency of the overall process. This mini review is targeted to focus on the research carried out up to this date on microwave-supported heterogeneously catalysed biodiesel production. It discusses the phenomenon of microwave heating, synthesis techniques for heterogeneous catalysts, microwave mediated transesterification reaction using solid catalysts, special thermal effects of microwaves and parametric optimisation under microwave heating. The review shows that using microwave technology on the heterogeneously catalysed transesterification process greatly decreases reaction times (5–60 min) while maintaining or improving catalytic activity (>90%) when compared to traditional heating.