Observations of Macroscopic Shocks in the Laboratory

POSTER

Abstract

A magnetized coaxial plasma gun (MCPG) built by Tri Alpha Energy has been installed on the Wisconsin Plasma Astrophysics Lab (WiPAL) vacuum vessel. The MCPG fires a dense ($10^{18} m^{-3}$) and warm (10-30 eV) compact toroid (CT) at speeds of order 100 km/s. The CT is characterized using $\dot{B}$ magnetic diagnostics, multi-tip temperature probes, Ion saturation density probes, and a fast Phantom camera. The CT is injected into vacuum field, neutral gas, and plasmas of various beta. Results and evidence for propagating shocks will be presented.

*This work supported the NSF GRFP under grant no. DGE-1256259

Authors

  • Douglass Endrizzi

    • University of Wisconsin - Madison
    • University of Wisconsin-Madison

  • Lauren Laufman-Wollitzer

    • University of Wisconsin-Madison
    • Univ of Wisconsin, Madison
    • University of Wisconsin - Madison

  • Mike Clark

    • University of Wisconsin - Madison
    • University of Wisconsin-Madison
    • University of Wisconsin, Madison
    • Univ of Wisconsin, Madison

  • Joseph Olson

    • University of Wisconsin-Madison
    • Univ of Wisconsin, Madison

  • Rachel Myers

    • University of Wisconsin-Madison
    • Univ of Wisconsin, Madison

  • Cary Forest

    • University of Wisconsin-Madison
    • University of Wisconsin - Madison
    • University of Wisconsin
    • Univ of Wisconsin, Madison

  • H. Gota

    • Tri Alpha Energy
    • Tri Alpha Energy, Inc.