Research Highlights

NIMROD simulation of the plasmoid formation induced by the nonlinear ballooning instability in the near-Earth magnetotail. The pressure contour shows the ballooning finger structures in the equatorial plane and the magnetic field lines show the plasmoid structures in the meridian plane. Simulations performed by Ping Zhu.

Extended MHD simulations of current driven plasmas in the Compact Toroidal Hybrid experiment indicate prominent MHD activity as indicated by parallel current contours. The NIMROD simulations are performed by Mark Schlutt.

Externally applied 3-D magnetic fields can significantly alter the magnetic geometry of tokamak plasmas. Contours of the local magnetic shear are shown as functions of 3-D amplitude. A near resonant response is indicated at rational magnetic surfaces. Simulations performed by Tom Bird.

 

Evolution of electrical current density, parallel to magnetic field, in the Pegasus Toroidal Experiment at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, as simulated by graduate student John O’Bryan with the NIMROD 3D magnetohydrodynamics code.