Experimental and numerical studies on plasma behavior flowing across perpendicular magnetic field

To understand particle acceleration mechanisms in a collisionless shock, we have investigated the behaviors of a one-dimensional fast plasma flow in a perpendicular magnetic field by experimental and numerical simulations in a laboratory scale experiment. The velocity of the plasma flow generated by a taper-cone-shaped plasma focus device has varied by the gradient of the perpendicular magnetic field. The plasma flow has accelerated by applying the magnetic field with the negative gradient. To clarify the behavior of the plasma flow in the perpendicular magnetic field, numerical simulations based on an electromagnetic hybrid particle-in-cell (PIC) method have been carried out. These results indicate that the magnetic field gradient affects the plasma flow velocity.