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At least 523 records · Page 29
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Non-thermal electron acceleration from magnetically driven reconnection in a laboratory plasma

Magnetic reconnection rapidly converts magnetic energy into some combination of plasma flow energy, thermal energy and non-thermal energetic particles. Various reconnection acceleration mechanisms have been theoretically proposed and numerically studied in different collisionless and low-β environments, where β refers to the plasma-to-magnetic pressure ratio. These mechanisms include Fermi acceleration, betatron acceleration, parallel electric field acceleration along magnetic fields and direct acceleration by the reconnection electric field. However, none of them have been experimentally confirmed, as the direct observation of non-thermal particle acceleration in laboratory experiments has been difficult due to short Debye lengths for in situ measurements and short mean free paths for ex situ measurements. Here we report the direct measurement of accelerated non-thermal electrons from magnetically driven reconnection at low β in experiments using a laser-powered capacitor coil platform. We use kilojoule lasers to drive parallel currents to reconnect megagauss-level magnetic fields in a quasi-axisymmetric geometry. The angular dependence of the measured electron energy spectrum and the resulting accelerated energies, supported by particle-in-cell simulations, indicate that the mechanism of direct electric field acceleration by the out-of-plane reconnection electric field is at work. Scaled energies using this mechanism show direct relevance to astrophysical observations.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2012

Study of applied magnetic field magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters with particle-in-cell and Monte Carlo collision. II. Investigation of acceleration mechanisms

The particle-in-cell method previously described in paper (I) has been applied to the investigation of acceleration mechanisms in applied-field magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters. This new approach is an alternative to magnetohydrodynamics models and allows nonlocal dynamic effects of particles and improved transport properties. It was used to model a 100 kW, steady-state, applied-field, argon magnetoplasmadynamic thruster to study the physical acceleration processes with discharge currents of 1000-1500 A, mass flow rates of 0.025-0.1 g/s and applied magnetic field strengths of 0.034-0.102 T. The total thrust calculations were used to verify the theoretical approach by comparison with experimental data. Investigations of the acceleration model offer an underlying understanding of applied-field magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters, including the following conclusions: (1) swirl acceleration mechanism is the dominant contributor to the plasma acceleration, and self-magnetic, Hall, gas-dynamic, and swirl acceleration mechanisms are in an approximate ratio of 1:10:10:100; (2) the Hall acceleration produced mainly by electron swirl is insensitive to the change of externally applied magnetic field and shows only slight increases when the current is raised; (3) self-magnetic acceleration is normally negligible for all cases, while the gas-dynamic acceleration contribution increases with increasing applied magnetic field strength, discharge current, and mass flow rate.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2017

A compact linear accelerator based on a scalable microelectromechanical-system RF-structure

Here, a new approach for a compact radio-frequency (RF) accelerator structure is presented. The new accelerator architecture is based on the Multiple Electrostatic Quadrupole Array Linear Accelerator (MEQALAC) structure that was first developed in the 1980s. The MEQALAC utilized RF resonators producing the accelerating fields and providing for higher beam currents through parallel beamlets focused using arrays of electrostatic quadrupoles (ESQs). While the early work obtained ESQs with lateral dimensions on the order of a few centimeters, using a printed circuit board (PCB), we reduce the characteristic dimension to the millimeter regime, while massively scaling up the potential number of parallel beamlets. Using Microelectromechanical systems scalable fabrication approaches, we are working on further red ucing the characteristic dimension to the sub-millimeter regime. The technology is based on RF-acceleration components and ESQs implemented in the PCB or silicon wafers where each beamlet passes through beam apertures in the wafer. The complete accelerator is then assembled by stacking these wafers. This approach has the potential for fast and inexpensive batch fabrication of the components and flexibility in system design for application specific beam energies and currents. For prototyping the accelerator architecture, the components have been fabricated using the PCB. In this paper, we present proof of concept results of the principal components using the PCB: RF acceleration and ESQ focusing. Finally, ongoing developments on implementing components in silicon and scaling of the accelerator technology to high currents and beam energies are discussed.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2012

ON PARTICLE ACCELERATION RATE IN GAMMA-RAY BURST AFTERGLOWS

It is well known that collisionless shocks are major sites of particle acceleration in the universe, but the details of the acceleration process are still not well understood. The particle acceleration rate, which can shed light on the acceleration process, is rarely measured in astrophysical environments. Here, we use observations of gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglows, which are weakly magnetized relativistic collisionless shocks in ion-electron plasma, to constrain the rate of particle acceleration in such shocks. We find, based on X-ray and GeV afterglows, an acceleration rate that is most likely very fast, approaching the Bohm limit, when the shock Lorentz factor is in the range of {Gamma} {approx} 10-100. In that case X-ray observations may be consistent with no amplification of the magnetic field in the shock upstream region. We examine the X-ray afterglow of GRB 060729, which is observed for 642 days showing a sharp decay in the flux starting about 400 days after the burst, when the shock Lorentz factor is {approx}5. We find that inability to accelerate X-ray-emitting electrons at late time provides a natural explanation for the sharp decay, and that also in that case acceleration must be rather fast, and cannot be more than a 100 times slower than the Bohm limit. We conclude that particle acceleration is most likely fast in GRB afterglows, at least as long as the blast wave is ultrarelativistic.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

PROPERTIES OF THE ACCELERATION REGIONS IN SEVERAL LOOP-STRUCTURED SOLAR FLARES

Using RHESSI hard X-ray imaging spectroscopy observations, we analyze electron flux maps for a number of extended coronal loop flares. For each event, we fit a collisional model with an extended acceleration region to the observed variation of loop length with electron energy E, resulting in estimates of the plasma density in, and longitudinal extent of, the acceleration region. These quantities in turn allow inference of the number of particles within the acceleration region and hence the filling factor f-the ratio of the emitting volume to the volume that encompasses the emitting region(s). We obtain values of f that lie mostly between 0.1 and 1.0; the (geometric) mean value is f = 0.20 Multiplication-Sign / Division-Sign 3.9, somewhat less than, but nevertheless consistent with, unity. Further, coupling information on the number of particles in the acceleration region with information on the total rate of acceleration of particles above a certain reference energy (obtained from spatially integrated hard X-ray data) also allows inference of the specific acceleration rate (electron s{sup -1} per ambient electron above the chosen reference energy). We obtain a (geometric) mean value of the specific acceleration rate {eta}(20 keV) =(6.0 Multiplication-Sign / Division-Sign 3.4) Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -3} electrons s{sup -1} per ambient electron; this value has implications both for the global electrodynamics associated with replenishment of the acceleration region and for the nature of the particle acceleration process.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

INJECTION AND ACCELERATION OF ELECTRONS AT A STRONG SHOCK: RADIO AND X-RAY STUDY OF YOUNG SUPERNOVA 2011dh

In this paper, we develop a model for the radio and X-ray emissions from the Type IIb supernova (SN IIb) 2011dh in the first 100 days after the explosion, and investigate a spectrum of relativistic electrons accelerated at a strong shock wave. The widely accepted theory of particle acceleration, the so-called diffusive shock acceleration (DSA) or Fermi mechanism, requires seed electrons with modest energy with {gamma} {approx} 1-100, and little is known about this pre-acceleration mechanism. We derive the energy distribution of relativistic electrons in this pre-accelerated energy regime. We find that the efficiency of the electron acceleration must be low, i.e., {epsilon}{sub e} {approx}< 10{sup -2} as compared to the conventionally assumed value of {epsilon}{sub e} {approx} 0.1. Furthermore, independent of the low value of {epsilon}{sub e}, we find that the X-ray luminosity cannot be attributed to any emission mechanisms suggested as long as these electrons follow the conventionally assumed single power-law distribution. A consistent view between the radio and X-ray can only be obtained if the pre-acceleration injection spectrum peaks at {gamma} {approx} 20-30 and then only a fraction of these electrons eventually experience the DSA-like acceleration toward the higher energy-then the radio and X-ray properties are explained through the synchrotron and inverse Compton mechanisms, respectively. Our findings support the idea that the pre-acceleration of the electrons is coupled with the generation/amplification of the magnetic field.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

STOCHASTIC PARTICLE ACCELERATION AND THE PROBLEM OF BACKGROUND PLASMA OVERHEATING

The origin of hard X-ray (HXR) excess emission from clusters of galaxies is still an enigma, whose nature is debated. One of the possible mechanisms to produce this emission is the bremsstrahlung model. However, previous analytical and numerical calculations showed that in this case the intracluster plasma had to be overheated very fast because suprathermal electrons emitting the HXR excess lose their energy mainly by Coulomb losses, i.e., they heat the background plasma. It was concluded also from these investigations that it is problematic to produce emitting electrons from a background plasma by stochastic (Fermi) acceleration because the energy supplied by external sources in the form of Fermi acceleration is quickly absorbed by the background plasma. In other words, the Fermi acceleration is ineffective for particle acceleration. We revisited this problem and found that at some parameter of acceleration the rate of plasma heating is rather low and the acceleration tails of nonthermal particles can be generated and exist for a long time while the plasma temperature is almost constant. We showed also that for some regime of acceleration the plasma cools down instead of being heated up, even though external sources (in the form of external acceleration) supply energy to the system. The reason is that the acceleration withdraws effectively high-energy particles from the thermal pool (analog of Maxwell demon).

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

PROBING DYNAMICS OF ELECTRON ACCELERATION WITH RADIO AND X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY, IMAGING, AND TIMING IN THE 2002 APRIL 11 SOLAR FLARE

Based on detailed analysis of radio and X-ray observations of a flare on 2002 April 11 augmented by realistic three-dimensional modeling, we have identified a radio emission component produced directly at the flare acceleration region. This acceleration region radio component has distinctly different (1) spectrum, (2) light curves, (3) spatial location, and, thus, (4) physical parameters from those of the separately identified trapped or precipitating electron components. To derive evolution of physical parameters of the radio sources we apply forward fitting of the radio spectrum time sequence with the gyrosynchrotron source function with five to six free parameters. At the stage when the contribution from the acceleration region dominates the radio spectrum, the X-ray- and radio-derived electron energy spectral indices agree well with each other. During this time the maximum energy of the accelerated electron spectrum displays a monotonic increase with time from {approx}300 keV to {approx}2 MeV over roughly one minute duration indicative of an acceleration process in the form of growth of the power-law tail; the fast electron residence time in the acceleration region is about 2-4 s, which is much longer than the time of flight and so requires a strong diffusion mode there to inhibit free-streaming propagation. The acceleration region has a relatively strong magnetic field, B {approx} 120 G, and a low thermal density, n{sub e} {approx}< 2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 9} cm{sup -3}. These acceleration region properties are consistent with a stochastic acceleration mechanism.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

GYROSURFING ACCELERATION OF IONS IN FRONT OF EARTH's QUASI-PARALLEL BOW SHOCK

It is well known that shocks in space plasmas can accelerate particles to high energies. However, many details of the shock acceleration mechanism are still unknown. A critical element of shock acceleration is the injection problem; i.e., the presence of the so called seed particle population that is needed for the acceleration to work efficiently. In our case study, we present for the first time observational evidence of gyroresonant surfing acceleration in front of Earth's quasi-parallel bow shock resulting in the appearance of the long-suspected seed particle population. For our analysis, we use simultaneous multi-spacecraft measurements provided by the Cluster spacecraft ion (CIS), magnetic (FGM), and electric field and wave instrument (EFW) during a time period of large inter-spacecraft separation distance. The spacecraft were moving toward the bow shock and were situated in the foreshock region. The results show that the gyroresonance surfing acceleration takes place as a consequence of interaction between circularly polarized monochromatic (or quasi-monochromatic) transversal electromagnetic plasma waves and short large amplitude magnetic structures (SLAMSs). The magnetic mirror force of the SLAMS provides the resonant conditions for the ions trapped by the waves and results in the acceleration of ions. Since wave packets with circular polarization and different kinds of magnetic structures are very commonly observed in front of Earth's quasi-parallel bow shock, the gyroresonant surfing acceleration proves to be an important particle injection mechanism. We also show that seed ions are accelerated directly from the solar wind ion population.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

A KINETIC TRANSPORT THEORY FOR PARTICLE ACCELERATION AND TRANSPORT IN REGIONS OF MULTIPLE CONTRACTING AND RECONNECTING INERTIAL-SCALE FLUX ROPES

Simulations of particle acceleration in turbulent plasma regions with multiple contracting and merging (reconnecting) magnetic islands emphasize the key role of temporary particle trapping in island structures for the efficient acceleration of particles to form hard power-law spectra. Statistical kinetic transport theories have been developed that capture the essential physics of particle acceleration in multi-island regions. The transport theory of Zank et al. is further developed by considering the acceleration effects of both the mean and the variance of the electric fields induced by the dynamics of multiple inertial-scale flux ropes. A focused transport equation is derived that includes new Fokker-Planck terms for particle scattering and stochastic acceleration due to the variance in multiple flux-rope magnetic fields, plasma flows, and reconnection electric fields. A Parker transport equation is also derived in which a new expression for momentum diffusion appears, combining stochastic acceleration by particle scattering in the mean multi-flux-rope electric fields with acceleration by the variance in these electric fields. Test particle acceleration is modeled analytically considering drift acceleration by the variance in the induced electric fields of flux ropes in the slow supersonic, radially expanding solar wind. Hard power-law spectra occur for sufficiently strong inertial-scale flux ropes with an index modified by adiabatic cooling, solar wind advection, and diffusive escape from flux ropes. Flux ropes might be sufficiently strong behind interplanetary shocks where the index of suprathermal ion power-law spectra observed in the supersonic solar wind can be reproduced.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Energy recovery proton linear accelerator

High-power proton linear accelerators have important applications in both scientific research and industry. However, the operation of such accelerators with megawatt-level beam power is expensive and limits the broad availability of these facilities. In this Letter, we propose a novel energy recovery proton linear accelerator in which the final GeV-level proton beam is reinjected into the linear accelerator from the accelerator exit and is decelerated in the same accelerator down to about 2 MeV, close to the initial beam energy. This substantially reduces the power consumption of the proton linear accelerator and also avoids the need for a high-power beam dump. We demonstrate this concept through self-consistent simulations and show that the beam-beam effect between the forward-accelerating beam and the backward-decelerating beam would not be a limiting factor for the proposed concept. A potential application of this concept to an electron-ion collider based on energy recovery electron and ion accelerators is discussed.

Energy recovery linacs↗
DOE OSTI2016

TU-H-BRA-06: Characterization of a Linear Accelerator Operating in a Compact MRIGuided Radiation Therapy System

Purpose: To describe the performance of a linear accelerator operating in a compact MRI-guided radiation therapy system. Methods: A commercial linear accelerator was placed in an MRI unit that is employed in a commercial MR-based image guided radiation therapy (IGRT) system. The linear accelerator components were placed within magnetic field-reducing hardware that provided magnetic fields of less than 40 G for the magnetron, gun driver, and port circulator, with 1 G for the linear accelerator. The system did not employ a flattening filter. The test linear accelerator was an industrial 4 MV model that was employed to test the ability to run an accelerator in the MR environment. An MR-compatible diode detector array was used to measure the beam profiles with the accelerator outside and inside the MR field and with the gradient coils on and off to examine if there was any effect on the delivered dose distribution. The beam profiles and time characteristics of the beam were measured. Results: The beam profiles exhibited characteristic unflattened Bremsstrahlung features with less than ±1.5% differences in the profile magnitude when the system was outside and inside the magnet and less than 1% differences with the gradient coils on and off. The central axis dose rate fluctuated by less than 1% over a 30 second period when outside and inside the MRI. Conclusion: A linaccompatible MR design has been shown to be effective in not perturbing the operation of a commercial linear accelerator. While the accelerator used in the tests was 4MV, there is nothing fundamentally different with the operation of a 6MV unit, implying that the design will enable operation of the proposed clinical unit. Research funding provided by ViewRay, Inc.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2015

Ion acceleration by laser plasma interaction from liquid cryogenic microjets [Abstract]

Processes that occur in extreme conditions, such as in the center of stars and large planets, can be simulated in the laboratory using facilities such as SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and the Jupiter Laser Facility (JLF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). These facilities allow scientists to investigate the properties of matter by observing their interactions with high power lasers. Ion acceleration from laser plasma interaction is gaining greater attention today due to its widespread potential applications, including proton beam cancer therapy and fast ignition for energy production. Typically, ion acceleration is achieved by focusing a high power laser on thin foil targets through a mechanism called Target Normal Sheath Acceleration. Based on research and recent experiments, we hypothesized that a pure liquid cryogenic jet would be an ideal target for this type of interaction, capable of producing the highest proton energies possible with todays laser technologies. Furthermore, it would provide a continuous, pure target, unlike metal foils which are consumed in the interaction and easily contaminated. In an effort to test this hypothesis and investigate new, potentially more efficient mechanisms of ion acceleration, we used the 527 nm split beam, frequency-doubled TITAN laser at JLF. Data from the cryogenic jets was limited due to the flow of current up the jet into the nozzle during the interaction, heating the jet and damaging the orifice. However, we acheived a pure proton beam with an indiciation of a monoenergetic feature. Furthermore, data from gold and carbon wires showed surprising and interesting results. Preliminary analysis of data from two ion emission diagnostics, Thomson parabola spectrometers (TPs) and radio chromic films (RCFs), suggests that shockwave acceleration occurred rather than target normal sheath acceleration, the standard mechanism of ion acceleration. Upon completion of the experiment at TITAN, I researched the possibility of transforming our liquid cryogenic jets into droplet streams. This type of target should solve our problems with the jet as it will prevent the flow of exocurrent into the nozzle. It is also highly effective as it is even more mass-limited than standard cryogenic jets. Furthermore, jets break up spontaneously anyway. If we can control the breakup, we can synchronize the droplet emission with the laser pulses. In order to assist the team prepare for an experiment later this year, I familiarized myself with the physics and theory of droplet formation, calculated values for the required parameters, and ordered the required materials for modification of the jet. Future experiments will test these droplet streams and continue towards the goal of ion acceleration using cryogenic targets.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Detecting Energy Modulation in a Dielectric Laser Accelerator

The Dielectric Laser Acceleration group at SLAC uses micro-fabricated dielectric grating structures and conventional infrared lasers to accelerator electrons. These structures have been estimated to produce an accelerating gradient up to 2 orders of magnitude greater than that produced by conventional RF accelerators. The success of the experiment depends on both the laser damage threshold of the structure and the timing overlap of femtosecond duration laser pulses with the electron bunch. In recent dielectric laser acceleration experiments, the laser pulse was shorter both temporally and spatially than the electron bunch. As a result, the laser is theorized to have interacted with only a small portion of the electron bunch. The detection of this phenomenon, referred to as partial population modulation, required a new approach to the data analysis of the electron energy spectra. A fitting function was designed to separate the accelerated electron population from the un-accelerated electron population. The approach was unsuccessful in detecting acceleration in the partial population modulation data. However, the fitting functions provide an excellent figure of merit for previous data known to contain signatures of acceleration.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Demonstration of the hollow channel plasma wakefield accelerator

A plasma wakefield accelerator is a device that converts the energy of a relativistic particle beam into a large-amplitude wave in a plasma. The plasma wave, or wakefield, supports an enormous electricfield that is used to accelerate a trailing particle beam. The plasma wakefield accelerator can therefore be used as a transformer, transferring energy from a high-charge, low-energy particle beam into a high-energy, low-charge particle beam. This technique may lead to a new generation of ultra-compact, high-energy particle accelerators. The past decade has seen enormous progress in the field of plasma wakefield acceleration with experimental demonstrations of the acceleration of electron beams by several gigaelectron-volts. The acceleration of positron beams in plasma is more challenging, but also necessary for the creation of a high-energy electron-positron collider. Part of the challenge is that the plasma responds asymmetrically to electrons and positrons, leading to increased disruption of the positron beam. One solution to this problem, first proposed over twenty years ago, is to use a hollow channel plasma which symmetrizes the response of the plasma to beams of positive and negative charge, making it possible to accelerate positrons in plasma without disruption. In this thesis, we describe the theory relevant to our experiment and derive new results when needed. We discuss the development and implementation of special optical devices used to create long plasma channels. We demonstrate for the first time the generation of meter-scale plasma channels and the acceleration of positron beams therein.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Ion Acceleration by Laser Plasma Interaction from Cryogenic Microjets

Processes that occur in extreme conditions, such as in the center of stars and large planets, can be simulated in the laboratory using facilities such as SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and the Jupiter Laser Facility (JLF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). These facilities allow scientists to investigate the properties of matter by observing their interactions with high-power lasers. Ion acceleration from laser plasma interaction is gaining greater attention today due to its widespread potential applications, including proton beam cancer therapy and fast ignition for energy production. Typically, ion acceleration is achieved by focusing a high power laser on thin foil targets through a mechanism called Target Normal Sheath Acceleration. However, this mechanism is not ideal for creating the high-energy proton beams needed for future applications. Based on research and recent experiments, we hypothesized that a pure liquid cryogenic jet would be an ideal target for exploring new regimes of ion acceleration. Furthermore, it would provide a continuous, pure target, unlike metal foils which are consumed in the interaction and easily contaminated. In an effort to test this hypothesis, we used the 527 nm split beam, frequency-doubled TITAN laser at JLF. Data from the cryogenic jets was limited due to the flow of current up the jet into the nozzle during the interaction, heating the jet and damaging the orifice. However, we achieved a pure proton beam with evidence of a monoenergetic feature. Furthermore, data from gold and carbon wires showed surprising and interesting results. Preliminary analysis of data from two ion emission diagnostics, Thomson parabola spectrometers (TPs) and radio chromic films (RCFs), suggests that shockwave acceleration occurred rather than target normal sheath acceleration, the standard mechanism of ion acceleration. Upon completion of the experiment at TITAN, I researched the possibility of transforming our liquid cryogenic jets into droplet streams. This type of target should solve our problems with the jet as it will prevent the flow of exocurrent into the nozzle. It is also highly effective as it is even more mass-limited than standard cryogenic jets. Furthermore, jets break up spontaneously anyway. If we can control the breakup, we can synchronize the droplet emission with the laser pulses. In order to assist the team prepare for an experiment later this year, I familiarized myself with the physics and theory of droplet formation, calculated values for the required parameters, and ordered the required materials for modification of the jet. Future experiments will test these droplet streams and continue towards the goal of ion acceleration using cryogenic targets.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2019

Advanced Control Methods for Particle Accelerators (ACM4PA) 2019

Los Alamos is currently developing novel particle accelerator controls and diagnostics algorithms to enable higher quality beams with lower beam losses than is currently possible. The purpose of this workshop was to consider tuning and optimization challenges of a wide range of particle accelerators including linear proton accelerators such as the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE), rings such as the Advanced Photon Source (APS) synchrotron, free electron lasers (FEL) such as the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) and LCLS-II, the European X-ray Free Electron Laser (EuXFEL), the Swiss FEL, and the planned MaRIE FEL, and plasma wake- eld accelerators such as FACET, FACET-II, and AWAKE at CERN. One major challenge is an the ability to quickly create very high quality, extremely intense, custom current and energy pro le beams while working with limited real time non-invasive diagnostics and utilizing time-varying uncertain initial beam distributions and accelerator components. Currently, a few individual accelerator labs have been developing and applying their own diagnostics tools and custom control and ML algorithms for au- tomated machine tuning and optimization. The goal of this workshop was to bring together a group of accelerator physicists and accelerator related control and ML experts in order to de ne which controls and diagnostics would be most useful for existing and future accelerators and to create a plan for developing a new family of algorithms that can be shared and maintained by the community.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2016

THE MECHANISMS OF ELECTRON ACCELERATION DURING MULTIPLE X LINE MAGNETIC RECONNECTION WITH A GUIDE FIELD

The interactions between magnetic islands are considered to play an important role in electron acceleration during magnetic reconnection. In this paper, two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations are performed to study electron acceleration during multiple X line reconnection with a guide field. Because the electrons remain almost magnetized, we can analyze the contributions of the parallel electric field, Fermi, and betatron mechanisms to electron acceleration during the evolution of magnetic reconnection through comparison with a guide-center theory. The results show that with the magnetic reconnection proceeding, two magnetic islands are formed in the simulation domain. Next, the electrons are accelerated by both the parallel electric field in the vicinity of the X lines and the Fermi mechanism due to the contraction of the two magnetic islands. Then, the two magnetic islands begin to merge into one, and, in such a process, the electrons can be accelerated by both the parallel electric field and betatron mechanisms. During the betatron acceleration, the electrons are locally accelerated in the regions where the magnetic field is piled up by the high-speed flow from the X line. At last, when the coalescence of the two islands into one big island finishes, the electrons can be further accelerated by the Fermi mechanism because of the contraction of the big island. With the increase of the guide field, the contributions of the Fermi and betatron mechanisms to electron acceleration become less and less important. When the guide field is sufficiently large, the contributions of the Fermi and betatron mechanisms are almost negligible.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗