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Design and construction of the near-earth space plasma simulation system of the Space Plasma Environment Research Facility

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2024

W. Ling Open the ORCID record for W. Ling [Opens in a new window] ,
C. Jing ,
J. Wan ,
A. Mao ,
Q. Xiao ,
J. Guan ,
J. Cheng ,
C. Liu  and
P. E
W. Ling
Affiliation:
Laboratory for Space Environment and Physical Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, PR China
C. Jing
Affiliation:
Laboratory for Space Environment and Physical Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, PR China
J. Wan
Affiliation:
Laboratory for Space Environment and Physical Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, PR China
A. Mao
Affiliation:
Laboratory for Space Environment and Physical Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, PR China
Q. Xiao
Affiliation:
Laboratory for Space Environment and Physical Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, PR China
J. Guan
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, PR China
J. Cheng
Affiliation:
Laboratory for Space Environment and Physical Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, PR China
C. Liu
Affiliation:
Laboratory for Space Environment and Physical Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, PR China
P. E*
Affiliation:
Laboratory for Space Environment and Physical Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, PR China
*
†Email address for correspondence: epeng@hit.edu.cn
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Abstract

Our earth is immersed in the near-earth space plasma environment, which plays a vital role in protecting our planet against the solar-wind impact and influencing space activities. It is significant to investigate the physical processes dominating the environment, for deepening our scientific understanding of it and improving the ability to forecast the space weather. As a crucial part of the National Major Scientific and Technological Infrastructure–Space Environment Simulation Research Infrastructure (SESRI) in Harbin, the Space Plasma Environment Research Facility (SPERF) builds a system to replicate the near-earth space plasma environment in the laboratory. The system aims to simulate the three-dimensional (3-D) structure and processes of the terrestrial magnetosphere for the first time in the world, providing a unique platform to reveal the physics of the 3-D asymmetric magnetic reconnection relevant to the earth's magnetopause, wave–particle interaction in the earth's radiation belt, particles’ dynamics during the geomagnetic storm, etc. The paper will present the engineering design and construction of the near-earth space plasma simulation system of the SPERF, with a focus on the critical technologies that have been resolved to achieve the scientific goals. Meanwhile, the possible physical issues that can be studied based on the apparatus are sketched briefly. The earth-based system is of great value in understanding the space plasma environment and supporting space exploration.

Keywords

space plasmamagnetospheremagnetic reconnectionwave–particle interactionmagnetic fieldplasma sourceplasma diagnosticsspace plasma physicsplasma devices
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Plasma Physics , Volume 90 , Issue 1 , February 2024 , 345900101
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press

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