Overview of Caltech Spheromak/Astrophysical Jet/Solar Simulation Experiments

Experiments underway at Caltech address several issues common to spheromaks, solar coronal loops, and astrophysical jets. These experiments use magnetized plasma guns and allow the plasma morphology to self-organize rather be imposed by either external coils or the shape of a surrounding vacuum chamber. The evolution of the plasma morphology/topology is tracked using high speed cameras. A good understanding of the evolutionary sequence has been obtained as well as insights into how this sequence depends on the interactions between MHD forces, convection of magnetic flux frozen into flowing plasma, and collimation resulting from the pile-up of flowing plasma and its embedded flux. These interactions are fundamental to the development of equilibria since flow, mass ingestion, and flux build-up are the means by which equilibrium hydrodynamic pressure and magnetic field are established.