Quantification of Magnetic Reconnection within PHASMA using Two Dimensional Nonlocal Magnetic Field Measurements, Fast Photodiodes, and Machine Learning

The PHASMA (PHAse Space MApping) facility at WVU is designed to investigate magnetic reconnection through the merger of two kink free magnetic flux ropes created by pulsed plasma guns. Two-dimensional nonlocal magnetic field measurements are used to quantify reconnection with the aim of working towards training a real-time algorithm for a diagnostic that predicts the time and location of magnetic reconnection within PHASMA. This study investigates the functionality of a machine learning algorithm trained on measurements within PHASMA that quantify magnetic reconnection, such as line-integrated fast photodiode measurements to classify reconnection events. This analysis will enable new studies of reconnection in highly turbulent and irreproducible systems by providing a means of localizing events of interest to better synchronize triggered measurements, such as Thomson scattering measurements of the electron velocity distribution functions.