Measurement of Lower-Hybrid Drift Turbulence in a Reconnecting Current Sheet

T. A. Carter; H. Ji; F. Trintchouk; M. Yamada; R. M. Kulsrud

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.88.015001

Measurement of Lower-Hybrid Drift Turbulence in a Reconnecting Current Sheet

T. A. Carter, H. Ji, F. Trintchouk, M. Yamada, and R. M. Kulsrud

Phys. Rev. Lett. 88, 015001 – Published 19 December 2001

Abstract

We present a detailed study of fluctuations in a laboratory current sheet undergoing magnetic reconnection. The measurements reveal the presence of lower-hybrid-frequency-range fluctuations on the edge of current sheets produced in the magnetic reconnection experiment (MRX). The measured fluctuation characteristics are consistent with theoretical predictions for the lower-hybrid drift instability (LHDI). Our observations suggest that the LHDI turbulence alone cannot explain the observed fast reconnection rate in MRX.

Received 13 June 2001

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.88.015001

Authors & Affiliations

T. A. Carter^*, H. Ji, F. Trintchouk, M. Yamada, and R. M. Kulsrud

Princeton University, Plasma Physics Laboratory, P.O. Box 451, Princeton, New Jersey 08543

^*Present address: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1547.Electronic address: tcarter@physics.ucla.edu