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PRODID:UW-Madison-Physics-Events
BEGIN:VEVENT
SEQUENCE:0
UID:UW-Physics-Event-2707
DTSTART:20120914T203000Z
DURATION:PT1H0M0S
DTSTAMP:20260412T041505Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20120807T130525Z
LOCATION:2241 Chamberlin Hall (coffee at 4:30 pm)
SUMMARY:Magnetic Reconnection in Plasmas: a Celestial Phenomenon in th
 e Laboratory\, Physics Department Colloquium\, Jan Egedal\, MIT Dept. 
 of Physics & Plasma Science and Fusion Center
DESCRIPTION:Coronal mass ejections from the sun are the most explosive
  events that occur in our solar system. Closer to home\, on earth the 
 aurora borealis is a spectacular\, naturally occurring\, light show. B
 oth of these large scale events are driven by magnetic reconnection in
  plasmas. The spontaneous rearrangement of magnetic field topology pro
 vides the enormous energy needed for these celestially magnificent and
  diverse phenomena.<br>
\n<br>
\nMagnetic reconnection has been a fasc
 inating topic of research in plasma physics for over sixty years. Whil
 e we still do not fully understand the process of reconnection\, signi
 ficant progress has been made in the past decade through detailed anal
 ysis of laboratory experiments and computer simulations. The Versatile
  Toroidal Facility (VTF) at MIT is an experiment dedicated to the stud
 y of magnetic reconnection.<br>
\n<br>
\nIn this talk I will describe 
 experimental observations from VTF which have led to a new theoretical
  paradigm for magnetic reconnection. Large scale computer simulations 
 support the experimental and theoretical results detailing the release
  of magnetic energy during reconnection. We are now able to explain th
 e large scale electron heating observed during reconnection by spacecr
 aft in the earth's magnetotail. Our model may also provide insight to 
 magnetic reconnection on the sun and the associated heating in solar f
 lares and coronal mass ejections
URL:https://www.physics.wisc.edu/events/?id=2707
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