Numerical modeling of magnetohydrodynamic activity in the Swarthmore Spheromak Experiment

Results from a three-dimensional axisymmetric resistive magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation are compared to experimental data from the Swarthmore Sph eromak Experiment (SSX) [M. R. Brown, Phys. Plasmas 6, 1717 (1999)]. The MH D simulation is run under conditions and with dimensionless parameters simi lar to the experiment (Lundquist number S=1000, plasma beta beta =0.1). The simulation is shown to reproduce global equilibrium magnetic field profile s of the spheromaks as well as much of the detailed reconnection dynamics m easured when two spheromaks are merged. It is concluded that SSX merger dyn amics may be characterized as MHD reconnection, with the likelihood that ex tensions are needed to account for kinetic effects in the associated curren t sheet. High spatial and temporal resolution MHD simulation data will be u sed as input for a particle orbit and energization code. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.