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Fox W, Porkolab M, Egedal J, et al. Laboratory observation of electron phase-space holes during magnetic reconnection. Phys Rev Lett. 2008;101(25):255003doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.101.255003.
Fox, W., Porkolab, M., Egedal, J., Katz, N., & Le, A. (2008). Laboratory observation of electron phase-space holes during magnetic reconnection. Physical review letters, 101(25), 255003. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.101.255003
Fox, W, et al. "Laboratory observation of electron phase-space holes during magnetic reconnection." Physical review letters vol. 101,25 (2008): 255003. doi: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.101.255003
Fox W, Porkolab M, Egedal J, Katz N, Le A. Laboratory observation of electron phase-space holes during magnetic reconnection. Phys Rev Lett. 2008 Dec 19;101(25):255003. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.101.255003. Epub 2008 Dec 18. PMID: 19113719.
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Phys Rev Lett. 2008 Dec 19;101(25):255003. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.101.255003. Epub 2008 Dec 18.

Laboratory observation of electron phase-space holes during magnetic reconnection.

Physical review letters

W Fox, M Porkolab, J Egedal, N Katz, A Le

Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, and Plasma Science and Fusion Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.

PMID: 19113719 DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.101.255003

Abstract

We report the observation of large-amplitude, nonlinear electrostatic structures, identified as electron phase-space holes, during magnetic reconnection experiments on the Versatile Toroidal Facility at MIT. The holes are positive electric potential spikes, observed on high-bandwidth ( approximately 2 GHz) Langmuir probes. Investigations with multiple probes establish that the holes travel at or above the electron thermal speed and have a three-dimensional, approximately spherical shape, with a scale size approximately 2 mm. This corresponds to a few electron gyroradii, or many tens of Debye lengths, which is large compared to holes considered in simulations and observed by satellites, whose length scale is typically only a few Debye lengths. Finally, a statistical study over many discharges confirms that the holes appear in conjunction with the large inductive electric fields and the creation of energetic electrons associated with the magnetic energy release.

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