Dartmouth Events

Abstract: Magnetized turbulence is a key process in astrophysical environments, and small-scale turbulent dynamo action is currently our best working hypothesis to account for the cosmic magnetic fields measured in galaxy clusters. Guided by high-fidelity FLASH simulations, the TDYNO (turbulent dynamo) collaboration has conceived, designed, and successfully executed experimental campaigns at the Omega Laser Facility, demonstrating turbulent dynamo in a terrestrial laboratory for the first time. Here, we present FLASH simulations that enabled the most recent redesign of the TDYNO platform, crafting a simpler to assemble, easier to align, and cheaper to manufacture design, whilst maintaining the desired plasma conditions achieved by the original platform. We will discuss the platform characteristics in detail and recount the design choices that led us to the final configuration, which was deployed at the Omega Laser Facility through the Laboratory Basic Science Program. Finally, we will discuss how the TDYNO breakthrough can enable the study of astrophysical processes mediated by a fluctuating magnetic field and turbulence. As an example, we will present numerical simulations used to interpret laser-driven plasma experiments at the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research. We combine experimental results and high-fidelity three-dimensional simulations to estimate the efficiency of ion acceleration in a fluctuating weakly magnetized interaction region. We find that the plasma conditions in the experiment are conducive to the lower-hybrid drift instability, yielding an increase in energy of approximately 264 keV for 242 MeV calcium ions.

This material is based upon work supported by the Department of Energy [National Nuclear Security Administration] University of Rochester “National Inertial Confinement Fusion Program” under Award Number(s) DE-NA0004144, DOE NNSA Awards . DE-NA0002724, DE-NA0003605, DE-NA0003842, DE-NA0003934, DE-NA0004147, and Subcontracts 536203 and 630138 with LANL and B632670 with LLNL, NSF Awards PHY-2033925 and PHY-2308844, and DOE Office of Science Fusion Energy Sciences Awards DE-SC0021990 and DE-SC0023246 U.S. DOE ARPA-E under Award DE-AR0001272.

Hosted by Professor Jens Mahlmann

Join Zoom Meeting
https://dartmouth.zoom.us/j/92751420885?pwd=QnIwN0RiSGkzMUtjQVZxRlZLMkcwQT09

Meeting ID: 927 5142 0885
Email Physics.Department@dartmouth.edu for passcode