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Overview of the Research Unit for Astro-fusion Plasma Physics(AFP)
The purpose and activities of the IRCC-AFP research unit
More than 99% of the materials that we know of in the universe are in the plasma state. Therefore plasma physics offers basic principles for understanding various phenomena occurring in the universe. Plasma physics also provides the fundamental research engine in developing the fusion reactor, which is expected to be the ultimate energy source for human beings.
The National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS) and the National
Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) are two representative
institutes in the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) for
plasma physics research. These institutes have been conducting
international research collaborations based on their worldwide research
networks. For the purpose of strengthening such international
collaboration activities with the emphasis on promoting the
interdisciplinary scope of research, a new research unit of IRCC-AFP
(International Research Collaboration Center, Astro-fusion Plasma
Physics research unit) was established.
A new direction of the research activity of the Integrated Plasma
Physics, which merges fusion plasma physics and astronomical plasma
physics, is becoming more active recently in the United States and in
Europe as well. The Max-Planck Society established the Max-Planck Center
for the plasma physics together with Princeton University in the United
States. This Max-Planck Center is an official (virtual) institute in
society and has the role of international research collaborations.
IRCC-AFP is promoting new research activities of the Integral Plasma
Physics in collaboration with the Max-Planck Center for plasma physics
as an international network involving three regions in the world.
An
important elements of the research activities of IRCC-AFP are the
IRCC-AFP fellows who are young scientists employed in the IRCC for the
exclusive role of international research collaboration in plasma
physics. This fellow is selected by the open job call under the
collaboration of IRCC-AFP with Princeton University and the Max-Planck
institutes. The main work place of this fellow is either in Princeton
University or the Max-Planck institutes where he/she will be devoted to
the role of promoting the collaboration research between Japan and the
United States or Europe. Another part of IRCC-AFP research activities is
establishing the international research collaboration network for
plasma physics including domestic collaboration networks together with
researchers in Japanese Universities who are active in international
collaboration.
研究活動
(1) International research collaboration with Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics
International Specially Appointed Research Employee (Ph.D.): Fabien Widmer
Supervisor 1: Associate Professor Mami Machida (National Astronomical Observatory of Japan)
Supervisor 2: Dr. Emanuele Poli (Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics)
Main research location: Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (Garching, Germany)
It is known that strong interactions exist in astrophysical plasmas and fusion plasmas among turbulence, magnetic reconnection phenomena and dynamics of magnetic island formation. It is because the non-linear interactions and exchanges of energy take place between the microscopic turbulent processes and the large-scale structural formation of the magnetic islands. We will use the 5D gyrokinetic framework, a reduced kinetic model, which is the most advanced theory of micro-turbulence in magnetic fusion plasmas, for studying important physics problems in these phenomena such as 1) the analysis of the dynamic processes triggering the magnetic reconnection phenomena, 2) the interactions between the turbulent processes and magnetic island formation.More details [PDF file / 36KB]
(2) International research collaboration with the Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University
International Specially Appointed Research Employee (Ph.D.): Arno Vanthieghem
Supervisor 1: Prof. Yasushi Todo (National Institute for Fusion Science)
Supervisor 2: Prof. Anatoly Spitkovsky (Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University)
Main research location: Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University
Nonthermal emission observed in astrophysical objects such as supernova remnants bears witness that collisionless shock waves efficiently channel energy from a low entropy unshocked plasma to accelerated particle distributions. Accelerated relativistic electrons radiate synchrotron emission in the self-generated magnetic field, while baryons populate the bulk of galactic cosmic rays. It is thus paramount to shed light on the intertwined, multi-scale mechanisms that underpin particle acceleration and its backreaction on plasma instabilities. We tackle this highly nonlinear multiscale problem using fully kinetic simulations in combination with analytical models to characterize the shock dynamics and particle acceleration in various regimes of magnetization and bulk velocity of the outflow.More details [PDF file / 58KB]
(3 International research collaboration with the Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University
Joint Appointment for the Associate Research Scholar of the Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University : Dr. Samuel Totorica
Collaborator (PI) 1: Prof. Mami Machida (National Institutes of Natural Sciences)
Collaborator (PI) 2: Prof. Amitava Bhattacharjee (Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University) Research locations:National Institutes of Natural Sciences and Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University
Astrophysical jets with well-collimated supersonic plasma flows can be observed in various layers of the universe, such as protostars, X-ray binaries (compact objects), and active galactic nuclei (AGN). One of the most important aspects of jet activity is the energy release of the black hole gravitational energy, which reaches over 108 times the Schwarzschild radius. The jet is considered to be the origin of accelerated cosmic ray particles in the energy range of 1015 to 1017 eV for X-ray binaries and 1018 eV or more for AGNs. Supersonic jets form various shocks in the jet beam, and these shocks become the sites of particle acceleration. Since the jet is a magnetized plasma, magnetic reconnection is expected to occur. We will use fully kinetic particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations to study particle acceleration and radiation associated with these systems and develop reduced models to improve magnetohydrodynamic simulations of global jet evolution.More details [PDF file / 59KB]
(4) 日米独の国際連携関係