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Spheromaks are easily formed, self-organized magnetized plasma configurations that have intrigued plasma physicists for over two decades. Sometimes called magnetic vortices, magnetic smoke rings, or plasmoids, spheromaks first attracted attention as a possible controlled thermonuclear plasma confinement scheme, but are now known to have many other applications.
This book begins with a review of the basic concepts of magnetohydrodynamics and toroidal magnetic configurations, then provides a detailed exposition of the 3D topological concepts underlying spheromak physics, namely magnetic helicity, Taylor relaxation, force-free equilibria, and tilt stability. It then examines spheromak formation techniques, driven and isolated configurations, dynamo concepts, practical experimental issues, diagnostics, and a number of applications. The book concludes by showing how spheromak ideas are closely related to the physics of solar prominences and interplanetary magnetic clouds.
Sample Chapter(s)
Chapter 1: Introduction (1,787 KB)
Contents:
- Basic Concepts
- Magnetic Helicity
- Relaxation of an Isolated Configuration to the Taylor State
- Relaxation in Driven Configurations
- The MHD Energy Principle, Helicity, and Taylor States
- Survey of Spheromak Formation Schemes
- Classification of Regimes: An Imperfect Analogy to Thermodynamics
- Analysis of Isolated Cylindrical Spheromaks
- The Role of the Wall
- Analysis of Driven Spheromaks: Strong Coupling
- Helicity Flow and Dynamos
- Confinement and Transport in Spheromaks
- Some Important Practical Issues
- Basic Diagnostics for Spheromaks
- Applications of Spheromaks
- Solar and Space Phenomena Related to Spheromaks
Readership: Graduate students and advanced undergraduates who have taken a course in plasma magnetohydrodynamics, laboratory plasma physicists, solar & space plasma physicists, and scientists interested in the topological dynamics of self-organizing configurations.
