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DOE OSTI · 3388784

Plasma flow generation and particle acceleration from expanding magnetic bubbles

Zhang, Yang [Princeton University, NJ (United States); University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), Boulder, CO (United States)] (ORCID:0000000241689225)·Russell, Brandon K. [Princeton University, NJ (United States)] (ORCID:0000000300112419)·Pomraning, Geoffrey [Princeton University, NJ (United States)] (ORCID:0009000681679490)·Gao, Lan [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States); Princeton University, NJ (United States)] (ORCID:0000000241192825)·Li, Xiaocan [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)] (ORCID:0000000152788029)·Stanier, Adam [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)] (ORCID:0000000160506159)·Daughton, William [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)] (ORCID:0000000310517559)·Dong, Chuanfei [Boston University, MA (United States); Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, NJ (United States)] (ORCID:000000028990094X)·Wang, Liang [Boston University, MA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000348213120)·Shi, Peiyun [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States); Princeton University, NJ (United States)] (ORCID:000000027129278X)·Orr, Kian [Princeton University, NJ (United States)] (ORCID:0009000592693194)·Ji, Hantao [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States); Princeton University, NJ (United States)] (ORCID:0000000196009963)
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Abstract

Impulsive plasma dynamics in the laboratory are often driven by rising electric currents, yet their quantitative plasma response has not been well established. By means of fully kinetic particle-in-cell simulations and laser-driven capacitor-coil experiments, we show that a rising current expels plasma, forming an expanding magnetic bubble and accelerating particles. The expansion front velocity scales with the Alfvén speed determined by the magnetic field at its inner edge and the plasma density at its outer edge. This mechanism establishes impulsive current drive as a fundamental way that generates plasma flows and accelerates particles in laboratory plasmas, with potential relevance to astrophysics.

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Zhang, Yang [Princeton University, NJ (United States); University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), Boulder, CO (United States)] (ORCID:0000000241689225), Russell, Brandon K. [Princeton University, NJ (United States)] (ORCID:0000000300112419), Pomraning, Geoffrey [Princeton University, NJ (United States)] (ORCID:0009000681679490), Gao, Lan [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States); Princeton University, NJ (United States)] (ORCID:0000000241192825), Li, Xiaocan [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)] (ORCID:0000000152788029), Stanier, Adam [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)] (ORCID:0000000160506159), Daughton, William [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)] (ORCID:0000000310517559), Dong, Chuanfei [Boston University, MA (United States); Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, NJ (United States)] (ORCID:000000028990094X), Wang, Liang [Boston University, MA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000348213120), Shi, Peiyun [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States); Princeton University, NJ (United States)] (ORCID:000000027129278X), Orr, Kian [Princeton University, NJ (United States)] (ORCID:0009000592693194), Ji, Hantao [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States); Princeton University, NJ (United States)] (ORCID:0000000196009963). 2026-06-18. Plasma flow generation and particle acceleration from expanding magnetic bubbles. https://doi.org/10.1103/yw76-d6kh

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