Observation of Solar Flare Type Processes in the Laboratory

Abstract

A filamentary magnetic structure is produced on the plasma current sheath of a coaxial accelerator operated with deuterium. Space and time analysis of X-ray, neutron and visible-light emission indicates that the magnetic energy of the filaments is transferred to the plasma during a process of decay of the filaments. X-ray photographs show very localized regions (diameter <0.5 mm) of strong emission. Some of these regions are also located where the plasma is not subject to a maximum of compression. Similar bright spots (Hβ) are observed by 5 ns image converter photographs. The detailed analytical description of the self-consistent fields is deduced. The localized regions of strong emission may well correspond with the explosive onset of an instability at a point on a filament (single filament decay) or at a point where two filaments with opposite fields coalesce with magnetic field annihilation. The similarities with solar flares are considered.